Photo: Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images
They weren’t the prettiest of goals. But as they say, there are no style points in hockey.
Capitals’ top-line center Evgeny Kuznetsov recorded what might be one of the uglier hat tricks in recent memory on Friday night in Vancouver. But his three tallies against the Canucks were enough to push the game into overtime and ultimately helped the Capitals take home two points.
Kuznetsov’s first goal was more strange than it was ugly. The puck would ricochet off the stanchion right to Kuznetsov for the score. The Capitals took an early 1-0 lead.
#ALLCAPS 1-0. WEIRD BOUNCE. KUZY GOAL pic.twitter.com/22OriMRzWd
— Capitals Replays (@capsreplays) March 12, 2022
Kuznetsov’s second goal wasn’t much prettier. However, he was in the right place at the right time, once again, and finished for the score. The Capitals jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the first period.
#ALLCAPS 2-0. KUZNETSOV ON THE PP. SO CLOSE TO BEING OVECHKINS pic.twitter.com/ID6DyFkR6w
— Capitals Replays (@capsreplays) March 12, 2022
After a listless second period, the Capitals where stormed over at the start of the third period, as the Canucks scored three unanswered goals in the first five minutes of play. All of a sudden the Capitals were trailing, 3-2 early in the final stanza.
But Kuznetsov would ultimately take care of that as well. He would pot his third tally of the game with less than five minutes to go in regulation to tie the score, 3-3.
#ALLCAPS 3-3. KUZY TIES IT UP. LFG. pic.twitter.com/uMwJEUo3MB
— Capitals Replays (@capsreplays) March 12, 2022
The Capitals may have been the road team on Friday night, but hats were flying at Rogers Arena, regardless. Not an uncommon occurrence when a Capital records a hat trick on the road.
this is an away game
dying lmao. kuznetsov things #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/tuC5qS5eA3
— Douglas Reyes-Ceron (@dreyesceron) March 12, 2022
More importantly Kuznetsov’s third goal garnered a point for the Capitals and sent the game into overtime. This time the Capitals would take home the second point, making it five of six possible points on their western Canada road trip.
No mistakes were made by Lars Eller (@lellerofficial) in @TwistedTea OT to get the game winner❗ pic.twitter.com/60Utt99swq
— NHL (@NHL) March 12, 2022
With three goals against Vancouver, Kuznetsov has now recorded 57 points (19g, 38a) in 57 games this season. Kuznetsov is on pace for 79 points, which would mark the second highest single-season point total in his career (2017-18: 27g-58a-83p in 79 GP).
“We had a lot of belief in ourselves – the way we’ve played lately – that there’s no doubt, no hesitation that we were going to get that third one.”
Lars Eller and Evgeny Kuznetsov postgame.#CapsNucks pic.twitter.com/XHR3jEKfLt
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) March 12, 2022
Kuznetsov’s hat trick was the 75th hat trick of the 2021-22 NHL season.
The Capitals will travel home on Saturday and have a day off on Sunday before they return to work on Monday for practice. They next host Barry Trotz and the Islanders on Tuesday at Capital One Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM.
By Jon Sorensen
It was if they wanted to give us all a jolt of late night adrenaline here on the east coast. They succeeded.
What an exciting road trip. Hopefully fans got to see most of it.