The Skinny on all of those hat tricks

If you were following me on Twitter late last night, you would have learned that 3 hat tricks on back-to-back nights is a rare occurrence in the NHL.  In fact, it happened for the first time since 1988.

 

Here are the only three occurrences since the 1980-81 season:

 

John Tavares         10/23/2010              NYI           @     FLA            L      3     0     3

Alexander Semin   10/23/2010              WSH                 ATL            W     3     0     3

Brad Richardson   10/23/2010              LAK           @     COL           W     3     0     3

 

Steven Stamkos    10/22/2010              TBL           @     ATL            W     3     1     4

Rene Bourque       10/22/2010              CGY          @     CBJ            W     3     1     4

Daniel Alfredsson 10/22/2010              OTT          @     BUF           W     3     0     3

 

 

Tony Tanti              3/13/1988                VAN                  BUF           L      3     0     3

Ray Sheppard        3/13/1988                BUF          @     VAN          W     3     1     4

Bernie Federko     3/13/1988                STL            @     LAK            L      3     1     4

 

Hakan Loob           3/12/1988                CGY                  BUF           W     3     3     6

Craig Janney          3/12/1988                BOS          @     QUE          W     3     0     3

Peter Ihnacak            3/12/1988                TOR                  CHI            W     3     1     4

 

Pat Verbeek           2/28/1988                NJD                   MNS          W     4     0     4

Rick Vaive              2/28/1988                CHI                   PIT             W     3     1     4

Dan Quinn              2/28/1988                PIT            @     CHI            L      3     0     3

 

Kirk Muller             2/28/1988                NJD                   MNS          W     3     2     5

Rick Tocchet          2/27/1988                PHI            @     LAK            W     4     1     5

Bob Gainey            2/27/1988                MTL                  WPG         W     3     0     3

Geoff Courtnall         2/27/1988                BOS                  MNS          W     3     0     3

 

Forever1940 is the nom de plume of Eric Hornick, statistician on Islander home telecasts since 1982. Visit my blog: forever1940.blogspot.com and follow me on Twitter @ehornick