There were over 60 goals scored across nine games Thursday so there were bound to be some hat tricks.
Fittingly, there were three.
Jordan Eberle recorded his first career trick while Patrick Eaves and Alex Ovechkin each did it in one period alone.
Yes, it was an offensive explosion in the NHL, making most of what we learned about scoring.
Hat Trick Eaves
When you think of the offensive powerhouse that is the Dallas Stars, the first names that come to mind are Benn, Seguin, Sharp. Then Klingberg, Spezza, Hemsky. Even Antti Niemi and Kari Lehtonen have found themselves on the score sheet. But Patrick Eaves?
Eaves scored a hat trick in the first period of the Stars’ contest with the Chicago Blackhawks Thursday, something none of us should be surprised about now.
https://twitter.com/MikeHeika/status/697965893675065345
The 31-year-old forward had just four goals coming into the game yet extended his point-scoring streak to four games with the performance. Two of the goals were on the power play.
Getzlaf and Perr…on?
The Anaheim Ducks’ scoring problems have been well-documented this season and Ryan Getzlaf’s woes have mirrored that of his team’s.
And while Getzlaf has turned it around of late, he may have a new partner in David Perron to pass the biscuit to. Perron scored a goal and an assist while Getzlaf recorded two assists in a 4-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets Thursday. But just look what they did together on this play:
Since Perron’s trade to the Ducks, the 27-year-old has four goals and six assists in 10 games. Getzlaf has two goals and 11 assists over the same period.
Move over Corey Perry, Perron’s in town.
Ovechkin hat tricks his way to NHL scoring lead
Another player scored a hat trick in one period Thursday: NHL scoring leader Alex Ovechkin.
https://twitter.com/ikhurshudyan/status/697974317741580288
Ovechkin overtook Patrick Kane for the scoring lead with his 32nd, 33rd and 34th goals of the season.
In the process, he passed Montreal Canadiens legend Jean Beliveau for 39th all-time in scoring with 509 goals. Sabres’ great Gilbert Perreault is next at 512.
Brad Marchand-11-11
Call Brad Marchand for your scoring needs this season, he’s likely to respond in 30 minutes or less.
The Bruins forward has a nice little streak going, having scored 11 goals in 11 games after Thursday night’s action. He recorded a goal and two assists in a 6-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets, his marker coming on a beautiful breakaway deke, the puck softly denting the top of the net.
He’s only gone one game in that 11-game span without a goal and now has 26 goals in 49 games.
With Milan Lucic in Los Angeles and the tough-guy quotient down in Boston somewhat, it’s been a crucial year for Marchand. While he was suspended three games earlier this season for a dangerous clipping incident, he’s also had to step up offensively with the makeup of the team changed due to the loss of Lucic and Dougie Hamilton.
Love him or hate him.
Gostisbehere runs streak to 10
You’ve either heard enough about Shayne Gostisbehere this season or not at all. The rookie whose name is hard to spell but fun to say keeps giving us reasons to cover him.
Thursday, he extended his current point streak to 10 games with an assist in a 5-1 Flyers win over the Sabres.
https://twitter.com/PR_NHL/status/697963120258629632
He’s playing catch-up too, having not been in the lineup early in the year. Incredibly, he now has 29 points in 35 games.
https://twitter.com/SNstats/status/697899566574784512
Sportsnet’s Kristina Rutherford profiled the many Calder Trophy candidates that have sprung up this season, one in which many believed it would be a two-man race between Jack Eichel and Connor McDavid.
Hey Kristina, you forgot this guy.
https://twitter.com/NHLAdamK/status/697999297942568960
McEberle
Whereas Connor McDavid’s arrival in the NHL saw an uptick in offence from Nail Yakupov, McDavid’s return from injury has proven beneficial for one Jordan Eberle.
Eberle scored a hat trick (what else?) and the duo combined for nine points in a 5-2 drubbing of the Toronto Maple Leafs Thursday.
Eberle has 10 points in the six games since McDavid’s return after scoring just 22 in 37 prior. McDavid has 12 points over that six-game span.
Poor Leafs.
https://twitter.com/SNstats/status/698000312964136960
(He ended the game with three assists.)
To be fair to Toronto:
https://twitter.com/3rdPeriodSuits/status/697948983851757572
https://twitter.com/dalter/status/697942518114185216
Poor, poor Leafs.
So, is Eberle still on the trading block or…?
