How Super Rookies Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine Compare Going into Round 2 Showdown

Forever linked after going first and second overall at last year's NHL draft, teenagers Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine continue to make it as tough as possible to favour one over the other.

As they sit tied with 28 goals and lead in virtually every major statistically category among first-year players this season, the duo have cemented themselves as the leading candidates for the Calder Trophy while compiling historic feats. Matthews kicked off his NHL career in dream-like fashion as he set the hockey world ablaze with a four-goal performance against the Ottawa Senators, becoming the first player in NHL history to have a four-goal debut. Laine, meanwhile, had a hat trick in the season's first matchup against Toronto followed by two more tricks over the last four months to become the first player in NHL history to register three hat tricks before his 19th birthday.

Laine and Matthews, who were both selected as NHL All-Stars in their first seasons, have a chance to be the first rookies since Alex Ovechkin in 2005 to hit the 40-goal mark and each also has a chance to become the first teenage rookie to reach 40 goals in a season since Eric Lindros did it in 1992-93.

The stats never tell the whole story, but when it comes to Laine and Matthews, they say a whole lot. With their 28 tallies apiece, the pair sits tied with Max Pacioretty and Vladimir Tarasenko for third in the league in goals, behind only Jeff Carter (29) and Sidney Crosby (32). Matthews, the only player in the league to record at least one shot on goal in every game this season, ranks sixth overall with 205 shots, while the 19-year-old leads the Maple Leafs and is tied for third overall with six game-winning goals. Laine, who has played four less games than Matthews due to a concussion suffered last month, sits just behind Crosby for the NHL lead in goals per game at 0.52, while Matthews ranks second in the league with 24 even strength tallies.

Laine leads the Jets and sits fourth in the NHL with 0.40 goals created per game, while Matthews leads all Maple Leafs skaters and ranks No. 15 league-wide with a 0.36 gcpg. Laine's 18.8 shooting percentage is good enough for 10th in the NHL, and his 3.18 points per 60 minutes are slightly better than Matthews' 2.89 mark. The Finland native also has a 7.5 to 6.8 edge in point shares, but Matthews has the edge in even strength Corsi (53.3) and offensive zone start percentage (62.9)

If head-to-head matchups mean anything, it was Laine's hat-trick performance that stole the show in the first Maple Leafs-Jets meeting in October. After going down 4-0, Laine led a comeback charge for the Jets as they scored five unanswered goals en route to a thrilling 5-4 overtime win. Laine finished the contest with a hat trick, including the game-tying goal with under a minute left in regulation and the overtime winner which came right after a missed breakaway by Matthews just seconds before.

The race for the Calder Trophy goes through these top picks—who've already established themselves as two of the better players in the league—and is one of the most exciting stories in the NHL this season. As the second and final meeting of the season between the two phenoms goes on Tuesday, it's pretty hard to expect an encore performance of that barnburner from October. But, as these two continue to prove day after day, lofty expectations aren't really an issue for them.