It had to be a no-brainer. Paul Carey racked up 6 goals and 2 assists in three games including Hershey’s first 4-goal game in 10 years Saturday. And he probably beat out his own teammate, Christian Djoos, for CCM/AHL Player of the Week honors. 

It was the stuff movies are made of in all honesty. The guy who earlier this season had and incredible 19-game point scoring streak and is now currently on an 8-game streak scored the game-tying goal just 44 seconds after Hartford took a 1-0 lead Friday night. He then added an assist as Djoos’ first goal before the end of the period.

Then came Saturday’s spectacular night to remember. Carey scored the first goal in every period and tacked on the last one, an empty netter to become the first Bear in 10 years to log a 4-goal game. It was his first professional hat trick too. Ironically enough, it came on the same night as the organization’s ECHL team, South Carolina, got a hat trick from Olivier Archambault and Washington’s TJ Oshie also recorded one. We have all of the videos here.

The sellout crowd Saturday night at Giant Center also thought that Carey ended up with a 5th goal, which would have been the first since 1976. The replay shows the puck crossing the goal line before the final horn, but two fights broke out and after the dust settled, Troy Mann did not ask for a review since the Bears won the game, leaving Carey one goal shy of Christian Thomas for the team lead in goals.

But, Carey tied things up with Thomas Sunday. After Bridgeport got on the board in the second period, Carey tied the game on the PP for his 24th of the season. He then added his 31st assist of the season on Travis Boyd’s game-winner late in the third. It is Carey’s first  50+ point season in his pro career.

Carey is no stranger to Capitals fans, having been recalled five times this season. He has appeared in four games this season for Washington and also appeared in four last season, scoring his first NHL goal February 6, 2016 in New Jersey, tying the game that Washington eventually won in a shootout. He also played 22 NHL games for the Colorado Avalanche from 2013-2015. We profiled Paul back in October for our Meet the Prospects column. That article can be found here.

By Julie Beidler
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@NoVa_Caps this one might be even better – Fun with @Mitchy1_0 pic.twitter.com/jF6npi5tQl

— Beids (@juliebeidler) March 18, 2017