Colorado Avalanche: Top 5 Nathan MacKinnon Moments

First NHL Hat Trick

Nathan MacKinnon’s first NHL hat trick came during his so-called sophomore slump. As with the second, he achieved it in a time when the Colorado Avalanche were still technically gunning for a playoff spot.

MacKinnon was 19 years and 5 months when he scored the hat trick against the Tampa Bay Lightning on February 22, 2015. That made him the youngest player to score a hat trick in franchise history. It was also the first time a player had gotten one in 4 1/2 years — since Matt Duchene on November 4, 2011. (That was 258 games.)

Also as with the second, his hat trick ended a scoring drought — a 13-gamer this time.

Nathan officially has twice as many hat tricks as Matt Duchene now with two. He also has twice as many as Chicago Blackhawks sniper Patrick Kane, and that should tell you something.

Next: Ankle Breaker