Nylander broke the record of eight straight games of registering at least one point to start a season after he was credited with an assist on Toronto's only goal.
Nylander broke the record of eight straight games of registering at least one point to start a season after he was credited with an assist on Toronto's only goal.
William Nylander put himself into the record book on Tuesday. But it came with little reason to celebrate.
Nylander recorded an assist on John Tavares' goal in a 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings.
The circumstances behind the assist were unusual to say the very least.
On the surface of it, it didn't look like Nylander was involved in Tavares' power-play marker. When the goal occurred at 8:25 of the third period to cut the Kings' lead down to 3-1, It was Morgan Rielly, and not Nylander, who was initially credited with the assist.
In the end, the NHL ruled that Nylander must have tipped Rielly's feed to Marner that led to the Swede's brand new team record.
On Monday, Nylander seemed less than interested about the prospect of extending his points record.
"If it happens it happens," Nylander said. "I'm just focused on having a good game tomorrow and that's where my mind is at."
After Tuesday's game, Nylander's points streak was not brought up to any player or head coach Sheldon Keefe. The focus was squarely on Toronto's flat effort against a structured Kings team that held the Leafs away from their end of the ice for most of the contest.
With Nylander extending his season-opening points streak to nine, he set the franchise record that was previously held by Frank Mahovlich (1961-62), Lanny McDonald (1976-77) and John Anderson (1981-82).
The 27-year-old has six goals and seven assists this season and his 13 points lead the team. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season.
"He's on a mission," teammate John Klingberg said of Nylander's play as of late.
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