NHLers notch 4 hat tricks in season openers for 1st time in 100 years

The hat trick is en vogue on opening nights around the NHL, and some history has been made in the process.

Connor McDavid, Alex Ovechkin, Wayne Simmonds, and Brandon Saad all scored three times in their first games of the campaign, marking the first time since 1917-18 that four hat tricks were registered in season-opening contests.

McDavid and Simmonds both capped three-goal nights with empty-netters Wednesday, while Ovechkin and Saad pulled off the feat Thursday in their respective openers.

The last time four hat tricks were notched in each of the players' opening games in the same season, it was accomplished by Harry Hyland of the Montreal Wanderers, Joe Malone of the Montreal Canadiens, Cy Denneny of the Ottawa Senators, and Reg Noble of the Toronto Arenas back in that 1917-18 campaign.

More hat tricks could be in store Friday night, when six other clubs play their first games of 2017-18.

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