After scoring a goal in a win over Madrid two days earlier, Belfast star Nathan MacKinnon came into the final game of the regular season needing 3 goals to tie the league record for most goals in a season (59, set by Steven Stamkos in Season 5).

Trailing 2-0 in the second period to Copenhagen, the Belfast powerplay clicked and MacKinnon made it 2-1. A period later, he scored again to tie the game 3-3. Goal #59 was one shot away and the fans were screaming every time MacKinnon was on the ice.

Then, with 3:34 to play, Giant forward Reno Suri took a penalty and seemed to let the air out of the balloon. Belfast was shorthanded and Coach Alain Vigneault send MacKinnon out as a penalty killer. Belfast’s Cam Fowler got to a rebound of a Trident shot, teammate Mitch Marner carried the puck out of the zone and hit MacKinnon in stride as he raced over the Copenhagen blue line, and a hard wrist shot later, MacKinnon had tied the record.

The Tridents went on to beat the Giants, but the fans seemed pretty thrilled about being able to see their hero make some history. MacKinnon led the league in goals one other time – in his MVP Season 13 – when he scored 48. That total was also his career best before this season. He also led the EURO in scoring last season with 117 points.