Players

Nicklas Backstrom’s Hat Trick Is First One in a Year for Caps

(Caps Outsider)

It’s hard to believe but the last time the Caps had a hat trick was slightly more than a year ago, as Alex Ovechkin netted his third of the season.

Nicklas Backstrom scored three times in Friday’s 6-3 victory, including an empty-netter. It was his second career hat trick (plus one in the playoffs).

“I thought Todd was going to take us out there, when it was 45 seconds left or something,” Backstrom said. “He kept us in and maybe trying to get me a hat trick.”

Asked if he put Backstrom out there for the purpose of getting the hat trick, coach Todd Reirden said that playing at the end of the game like that, presumably with an empty net, is more of a reward, and Backstrom deserved it.

It also happened on the same night that the Caps honored Backstrom for passing Peter Bondra on the Caps’ all-time points list (second behind Ovechkin).

Washington Capitals Hat Trick Tracker

Ben Sumner

Ben Sumner is the editor of Capitals Outsider. He also works for The Washington Post and contributes there when he gets a scoop.

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