Long Island’s Matt Coronato made his NHL debut Wednesday night as his team, the Calgary Flames, took on the San Jose Sharks.
The 20-year-old was selected in the first round of the 2021 draft and signed a three-year deal with Calgary on March 26 after his college season at Harvard.
Coronato made an impressive pro debut, earning his third star of the game with a +1 plus-minus, a hit and a free throw at 14:38 on the ice to help his team reach the season finale won 3-1.
The Greenlawn native, who just finished his second season at Harvard, had 20 goals, 16 assists and 36 points in 34 games.
Coronato was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year for the 2021-22 season, and his 20 goals this season are tied for second at Harvard. In addition, he was named to the ECAC All-NBA Second Team, ranked eighth in the ECAC standings this season, ranked second in goals per game, and scored a league-leading five game-winners.
Coronato plans to return to Boston to finish his semester at Harvard, based on the Flames’ last game. winnipeg sun. He said, “Yeah, I’m going back to school, maybe this weekend, I’ll be with [my college teammates]. should be fun. “
Flames head coach Darryl Sutter thought there would be value in Coronato’s presence in the season finale, telling the Winnipeg Sun, “It was good for him to come out here and play in that game. Read it.”
during an interview 2021 USA HockeyCoronato emphasized his consistency and focusing on the little things in his preparation for each game, saying: “Consistency is definitely a big thing for me. It’s something I focus on in my preparation. The overall consistency plays a big part in the way I play. I want to work hard every night and focus on the little things.”
Coronato was born in Huntington and fell in love with hockey as a child playing for the New York Islanders with his family. Now, he’s making a name for himself in the NHL with his impressive performances and dedication to his skills.
Here’s Coronato’s post-match interview.
Calgary Flames forward Matt Coronato makes his debut during the first period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks in Calgary, Alberta, Wednesday, April 12, 2023 . (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press, AP)
