A hat trick in hockey is when one player scores three goals in a single game. Fans celebrate by throwing hats onto the ice. A natural hat trick is three straight goals by one player with no other goal in between; a Gordie Howe hat trick is a goal, an assist and a fight in one game.
There are few sights in sports like a home crowd raining caps onto the ice after a third goal. If you have ever wondered why, or whether that empty-net goal "counts," here is everything about the hat trick.
What is a hat trick in hockey?
A hat trick is three goals scored by the same player in one game. Goals in any period count, including overtime. Empty-net goals count. Power-play and shorthanded goals count. The only goals that do not count toward a hat trick are shootout goals, because shootout goals are not credited to players' goal totals (see overtime and shootout rules).
Scoring three times in an NHL game is hard. Most players never do it in their career, and even elite scorers usually manage only a handful in a season. That rarity is why the moment gets its own celebration.
Why do fans throw hats on the ice?
When a player scores his third goal, fans at the arena throw their hats onto the ice as a salute. Play pauses while the arena crew skates out and collects them, which can take a minute or two in a full building.
The tradition is generally reserved for the home team. Throwing a hat for a visiting player is unusual and tends to be done only for a special milestone.
What happens to the hats varies by team. Arena staff collect them, and depending on the club they are donated, kept, or given to the player as a souvenir of the night.
Where does the term "hat trick" come from?
The phrase comes from cricket, where in the 1800s a bowler who took three wickets with three consecutive balls could be rewarded with a new hat. From there it spread to other sports for any feat of three.
How it became a hockey tradition is less certain. Several stories claim credit, most of them involving hat shops in the 1940s offering free hats to players who scored three goals. Whatever the origin, by the second half of the 20th century fans were throwing their own hats, and it stuck.
What is a natural hat trick?
A natural hat trick is three goals in a row by the same player, with no other goal by anyone, on either team, in between. Some fans use a stricter definition and want all three in the same period. Either way, it is rarer and more impressive than an ordinary hat trick.
What is a Gordie Howe hat trick?
A Gordie Howe hat trick is a goal, an assist and a fight by the same player in one game. It is named after Gordie Howe, the Detroit Red Wings great who was famous for both his skill and his toughness. It is not an official NHL statistic, just a bit of hockey culture. By most counts Howe himself had only a couple in his career. Read more about the role of fights in our fighting in hockey guide.
What are the NHL hat trick records?
| Record | Holder |
|---|---|
| Most career hat tricks (including games with four or more goals) | Wayne Gretzky, 50 |
| Fastest hat trick | Bill Mosienko, Chicago Black Hawks: three goals in 21 seconds, March 23, 1952 |
| Most goals in one game | Joe Malone, Quebec Bulldogs: 7 goals, January 31, 1920 |
Four goals in a game is sometimes called a "Texas hat trick," and five or more by one player in a game is rare enough that it makes headlines across the league when it happens.
How rare is a hat trick?
It depends on the era. Scoring was higher in the 1980s, when Gretzky and his Edmonton Oilers piled up goals, and hat tricks were more common. In lower-scoring periods they get scarcer. Across an NHL season, there are usually dozens, spread among a fairly small group of top goal scorers, but for the average forward a hat trick is a once-in-a-career event, if it happens at all.
How do hat tricks show up in the stats?
The NHL does not keep hat tricks as a separate column in the standings or box score. They are tracked in player records and game summaries: a player with three goals in a game's box score has a hat trick. You will often see a player's career hat-trick total cited when he gets another one.
If you want a chance to see one live, check the NHL games tonight and follow your team's page for the latest, from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Vegas Golden Knights.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a hat trick in hockey?
- A hat trick is when one player scores three goals in the same game. Fans traditionally throw hats onto the ice to celebrate.
- Do empty-net goals count for a hat trick?
- Yes. Any goal credited to the player in regulation or overtime counts, including empty-net, power-play and shorthanded goals. Shootout goals do not count.
- What is a natural hat trick in hockey?
- A natural hat trick is three consecutive goals by the same player, with no other goal scored by anyone in between. Some fans also require all three in one period.
- Who has the most hat tricks in NHL history?
- Wayne Gretzky holds the NHL record with 50 career hat tricks, counting games in which he scored three or more goals.
- What is a Gordie Howe hat trick?
- A Gordie Howe hat trick is a goal, an assist and a fight by one player in the same game. It is an unofficial stat named after Gordie Howe.
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