Few moments in hockey get a crowd on its feet faster than a player completing a hat trick.

The building erupts, hats start raining down from every section of the arena, and the player circles the ice to acknowledge the roar around them.

Scoring three goals in one game is a feat that even the most gifted NHL players accomplish only a handful of times in an entire career.

The hat trick is one of hockey's most beloved traditions, with roots that stretch back well before the modern NHL existed.

It is a term so universally understood that even fans who barely follow hockey know exactly what it means when they hear it.

This guide covers everything worth knowing about hat tricks, from the basic definition to the most famous ones in hockey history.

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This guide covers the full story behind the hat trick, including its history, types, famous examples, and what it takes to score one.

The Official Definition of a Hat Trick in Hockey

A hat trick in hockey is defined as one player scoring three goals in a single game.

The goals do not need to happen in the same period, back to back, or in any particular sequence for the hat trick to count.

A player could score in the first period, the second period, and then complete the hat trick in overtime if needed.

The only requirement is that all three goals are scored by the same player in the same game.

Goals scored on the power play, on the penalty kill, off a deflection, or from any other situation all count equally toward a hat trick.

There is no distinction in the official record between a hat trick earned through three even-strength goals or any mix of goal types.

The NHL tracks hat tricks as part of individual player statistics, and they are consistently one of the most celebrated game achievements in the sport.

When a player scores a fourth goal in the same game, it is sometimes called a "hat trick plus one" or informally a four-goal game.

Five goals in a single game is exceptionally rare at the NHL level, with only a small number of players having ever accomplished the feat.

Wayne Gretzky scored five goals in a single game on multiple occasions during his career, which stands as a testament to his remarkable dominance.

The History of the Hat Trick in Hockey

The term "hat trick" did not originate in hockey at all... it actually comes from the sport of cricket.

In 19th century cricket, a bowler who dismissed three consecutive batsmen was traditionally awarded a hat as a prize for the accomplishment.

The term eventually crossed into other sports, including hockey, where it was adapted to celebrate three goal performances.

The tradition of throwing hats onto the ice after a hat trick is specifically a hockey innovation, not borrowed from any other sport.

The story most commonly told about the hockey version involves a Toronto hat shop owner in the 1940s who offered a free hat to any player who scored three goals while wearing one of his hats.

Fans eventually adopted the idea and began throwing their own hats onto the ice to celebrate three goal games.

By the time the modern NHL era was fully established, throwing hats had become one of the sport's most recognizable and beloved traditions.

Today, NHL arena staff typically allow the hats to pile up on the ice for a moment before collecting them with shovels.

Many arenas donate the collected hats to local charities after hat trick games, which adds a nice community dimension to the tradition.

The hat-throwing tradition has become one of the most visually iconic moments in professional sports, recognized by fans who have never watched a single full game of hockey.

Types of Hat Tricks in Hockey

Not all hat tricks are treated equally by hockey fans, and the sport has developed its own language for different types.

A natural hat trick is when a player scores three consecutive goals without any other player scoring between them.

This is considered the most impressive type, because it means one player dominated an extended stretch of the game completely on their own.

Natural hat tricks are rarer than standard hat tricks and are celebrated with extra appreciation by fans who understand the difficulty involved.

A Gordie Howe hat trick is a completely different achievement, named after the legendary Hall of Fame forward Gordie Howe.

To earn a Gordie Howe hat trick, a player must score a goal, record an assist, and get into a fight all in the same game.

The name is partly tongue in cheek, since Howe was known as both a scorer and a physically intimidating player throughout his career.

Ironically, there is debate about whether Howe himself actually earned many Gordie Howe hat tricks officially by the modern definition.

A referee hat trick is a rare and humorous term for when one player earns three penalties in a single game against the same team.

The term "hat trick" has spread into almost every major sport, but hockey is the one where the physical hat-throwing ceremony actually takes place.

The Most Famous Hat Tricks in NHL History

NHL history is filled with hat tricks that defined careers, turned games around, and gave fans something to talk about for decades.

Wayne Gretzky's 50 career hat tricks remain the all time record, a number that seems almost impossible by modern standards.

On December 30, 1981, Gretzky scored five goals in a single game against the Philadelphia Flyers, including a hat trick completed in just one period.

Mario Lemieux holds the record for scoring a hat trick in five different ways in a single game, which happened on December 31, 1988.

In that game, Lemieux scored at even strength, on the power play, on the penalty kill, on a penalty shot, and into an empty net.

That performance is considered by many historians to be the most complete single game offensive display in league history.

In more recent history, Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs has become known for his ability to score multiple goals in single games consistently.

Matthews scored four goals in his NHL debut on October 12, 2016, becoming the first player in league history to accomplish the feat in a debut game.

Playoff hat tricks carry their own special significance, since scoring three in a single postseason game demonstrates elite performance under the highest possible pressure.

The players who score hat tricks at the highest levels are almost always the players who have spent the most time developing their shot and their scoring instincts.

How Common Are Hat Tricks in the NHL?

Hat tricks are far less common than most casual fans might assume, which is part of what makes them so exciting when they happen.

Across a typical NHL regular season featuring more than 1,300 games, approximately 100 to 120 hat tricks are recorded in total.

That works out to roughly one hat trick occurring in about every 12 to 13 games played around the entire league.

For individual players, the average NHL scorer might record one or two hat tricks across an entire career, not per season.

Elite scorers who top 40 goals in a season might record three or four hat tricks during that same season as part of their production.

Even players who score 30 goals in a season can easily go the entire year without scoring three goals in any single game.

The difficulty comes from the combination of factors that must all align... the player must be playing well, getting opportunities, and finishing at a high rate all in one game.

Goaltenders also adjust their positioning as a game progresses, making it harder to find the same holes that produced earlier goals.

Opposing coaches will also double-check their coverage assignments when they realize a dangerous player has already scored twice in the same game.

All of those factors combine to make completing a hat trick one of the hardest individual achievements in professional hockey.

What Happens After a Hat Trick: The Hat Throwing Tradition

The moment a hat trick is completed in an NHL game, the arena experience shifts into something special that is hard to replicate anywhere else in sports.

As soon as the puck goes in for the third goal, fans in the building begin throwing hats onto the ice from every direction.

Baseball caps, beanies, and every other style of hat sail through the air and land on the ice in a chaotic and joyful pile.

The player who scored typically skates around the ice, tapping their helmet or raising a stick to acknowledge the crowd's reaction.

Arena staff must wait for the shower of hats to die down before collecting them all and clearing the ice for the next faceoff.

The process can take several minutes depending on how enthusiastic the crowd is, which adds to the drama of the moment.

Some fans save a cheap spare hat specifically to throw if the moment ever happens, not wanting to lose a good hat they actually wear regularly.

The tradition has remained consistent for decades, surviving rule changes, arena upgrades, and the general evolution of the sport around it.

Visiting team hat tricks in an opposing arena are a rare treat, because they produce a more subdued version of the same tradition from away fans in attendance.

Developing the Skills That Lead to Hat Tricks

Scoring three goals in one game does not happen by accident... it requires a precise shooting skill set built over years of dedicated practice.

Players who regularly score at high rates have typically spent thousands of hours working on their release, accuracy, and shot selection in practice settings.

A fast, accurate release that beats goaltenders before they can fully react is a skill that can only be developed through repetition.

Shooting drills, edge work, and puck handling all contribute to the kind of scoring instinct that turns one goal games into three goal games.

Players who practice on PolyGlide Ice at home can put in the shooting and skating reps that build genuine scoring ability over time.

When you can practice on real ice at home between team sessions, the number of quality repetitions you accumulate increases dramatically.

Conclusion

The hat trick is one of hockey's most beloved and instantly recognizable achievements, and for very good reason.

Three goals in a single game requires skill, opportunity, confidence, and the finishing ability to bury each chance when it arrives.

The tradition of throwing hats onto the ice is one of those rare sports moments that makes an entire arena feel like a single unified community.

Whether you are a lifelong fan who has witnessed dozens of them live or someone who just learned what the term means, a hat trick never loses its power to thrill.

For players chasing that kind of performance in their own game, the path runs directly through the practice sessions nobody else sees.

A PolyGlide Ice starter kit at home means your player never has to stop working on the shot that could one day clear the arena of every hat in it.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hat Tricks in Hockey

What is a hat trick in hockey?

A hat trick in hockey is when one player scores three goals in a single game. The goals can come at any point during the game, including regular time or overtime, and there is no requirement that they happen consecutively. It is one of the most celebrated individual achievements in the sport, traditionally honored by fans throwing hats onto the ice.

What is a natural hat trick?

A natural hat trick occurs when the same player scores three consecutive goals in a game without any other player scoring between them. It is considered rarer and more impressive than a standard hat trick because it shows sustained individual dominance over an extended stretch of the game. Natural hat tricks are celebrated with extra recognition among hockey fans and analysts.

Who has scored the most hat tricks in NHL history?

Wayne Gretzky holds the NHL record with 50 career hat tricks, a total so far ahead of everyone else that it may never be approached. Mario Lemieux is also widely regarded as one of the most prolific multiple goal scorers in league history. In terms of active players, top goal scorers like Auston Matthews and Alex Ovechkin have added multiple hat tricks to their career totals in recent seasons.

Why do fans throw hats on the ice after a hat trick?

The tradition of throwing hats is believed to have started in the 1940s, linked to a Toronto hat shop owner who offered free hats to players who scored three goals. Fans eventually adopted the practice of throwing their own hats onto the ice to celebrate. Today it is one of the most recognized and beloved traditions in professional hockey.

What is a Gordie Howe hat trick?

A Gordie Howe hat trick is when a player scores a goal, records an assist, and gets into a fight in the same game. It is named after Gordie Howe, who was known as both an elite scorer and a physically dominant player throughout his Hall of Fame career. The term is used somewhat humorously and is far less common than a traditional hat trick in the modern NHL.