Mitch Marner is quickly erasing the narrative that he's not a playoff performer.
The Vegas Golden Knights winger scored his first career playoff hat trick and added an assist in Friday's Game 3 against the Anaheim Ducks, and he now leads the postseason in scoring with 13 points in nine contests.
Marner is up to six goals in his first playoffs with Vegas, doubling his previous high of three over nine postseason appearances with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2023.
"I don't know, I guess stuff is going in obviously when I'm shooting it," Marner said after the win, per TNT. "A lot of guys are putting themselves in really good spots when I'm making a play, and they're finishing it off."
Marner added, "I feel like I just want to go out there and play my game - I feel like I've been doing it for a while. I know that people probably think that results weren't coming in the past, but sometimes that's what happens. My mindset is always to try not to get frustrated, know it's always a roller-coaster ride. Stuff's not always going to go your way. Sometimes it will."
Marner's been heating up lately after failing to score in his first five games of the playoffs. Marner recorded two tallies and an assist in Vegas' series-clinching win over the Utah Mammoth, then delivered two points in the Round 2 opener against Anaheim.
The Golden Knights ultimately won Friday's contest 6-2 to grab a 2-1 series lead in the Western Conference semifinal. Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday at 9:30 p.m. ET in Anaheim.
