McKenna Scores First NHL Goal as Maple Leafs Rally Past Predators 5-4 in Overtime

The Toronto Maple Leafs' prized rookie announced his arrival on Tuesday night. Gavin McKenna, the 18-year-old No. 1 overall pick in June's draft, scored his first career NHL goal and added his first career assist as Toronto stormed back from a 4-2 deficit to defeat the Nashville Predators 5-4 in overtime at Scotiabank Arena.

McKenna's milestone night began in the second period, when his assist on John Tavares' wrist shot — his first NHL point — cut Nashville's lead to 3-1. Then, early in the third, the rookie buried a setup from Auston Matthews to pull Toronto within 4-3, sparking a comeback that Jack Roslovic completed with 11 minutes to go when he finished another Matthews feed to tie the game. A would-be go-ahead goal from William Nylander was wiped out on an offside challenge with seven minutes left, but Matthews settled it in overtime, beating Juuse Saros on a wrist shot with just 14 seconds remaining.

The Predators had controlled the early going behind two goals apiece from Steven Stamkos and Nils Hoglander, who built a 4-2 lead through two periods. But Toronto's star power took over late: Matthews finished with three assists to go with the OT winner, while Roslovic posted a goal and an assist.

For McKenna, it was a night of firsts in his fourth NHL game. The former Penn State standout, who posted 51 points in 35 college games last season, went scoreless with a minus-2 rating in his debut against Montreal on September 30 but bounced back with a two-point, four-shot, plus-1 performance against the Predators — exactly the kind of flash the Maple Leafs drafted him for.