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Long Island’s Matt Coronato made his NHL debut on Wednesday night as his team, the Calgary Flames, faced 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 with Harvard ended.
Coronato’s pro debut was impressive, earning him the third star of the game for his +1 plus/minus, one hit, and one takeaway on 14:38 time on the ice as his team secured a 3-1 victory in the season finale.
The Greenlawn native just completed his second season with Harvard University, where he had a remarkable record of 20 goals and 16 assists for 36 points in 34 games.
During the 2021-2022 season, Coronato was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year, and his 20 goals this season tied for second-most on Harvard. Additionally, he was named to the Second Team All-ECAC roster, finishing eighth in points in the ECAC this season and second in goals-per-game with a conference-leading five game-winning goals.
With the Flames’ final game concluded, Coronato plans to head back to Boston to finish the semester at Harvard, according to the Winnipeg Sun. He stated, “Yeah, I’m going back to school, probably this weekend, and I’ll hang out with [my college teammates]. It will be fun.”
Flames head coach Darryl Sutter believes Coronato getting playing in the season finale was valuable, telling the Winnipeg Sun, “It was good for him to be here and get in that game. It gives him something, a read on it.”
In an interview with USA Hockey in 2021, Coronato emphasized his consistency and focus on the little things in his preparation for each game, stating: “Consistency is definitely a big thing for me. It’s something I focus on in my preparation. In the way I play, overall consistency plays a big part. I think every night going in, working hard, focusing on the little things.”
Coronato, who was born in Huntington, fell in love with hockey after attending New York Islanders games with his family as a child. He is now making a name for himself in the NHL with his impressive performance and dedication to his craft.
Here was Coronato’s post-game interview.
Calgary Flames forward Matt Coronato makes his first appearance a Flame, during the first period of the team’s NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, in Calgary, Alberta. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
