Maple Leafs’ Johnsson nets first career hat trick in first period

Watch as Andreas Johnsson scores three goals in just the first period against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Toronto Maple Leafs third-line winger Andreas Johnsson had himself quite the game Saturday night.

Or rather, quite the opening period.

Johnsson recorded his first career hat trick Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers, scoring all three goals in the first period.

Scoring all three in just a seven-minute, 35-second span, Johnsson scored his first at the 4:45 mark off a beauty feed from linemate Connor Brown that saw him fake a slap shot and then tuck it between Flyers goalie Calvin Pickard’s legs.

His second came at the 6:19 mark in the frame when Johnsson showed off his wheels and out-skated a couple Flyers defenders to come in all alone and beat Pickard.

His third came after Patrick Marleau had made the game 3-0, at 12:20 when he stole the puck from the Flyers trying to get it out of their zone, came in along the left side and banged it past Pickard with his backhand.

As a result, Johnsson chased Pickard from the game, forcing Anthony Stolarz to come in relief.

The 24-year-old Johnsson had entered Saturday’s affair with just two goals and three points.

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