What is a hat trick in hockey?

In hockey, a hat trick is when a single player scores three goals in one game. It's a significant achievement and a highly celebrated feat. There are a few variations:

• Natural Hat Trick: This is the most exciting type, where a player scores three consecutive goals without any other goals being scored by either team in between.

• Regular Hat Trick: This simply means scoring three goals in a single game, regardless of the order or timing. This is the most common type of hat trick.

Sometimes, more elaborate hat tricks are informally acknowledged, such as a "Gordie Howe hat trick," which involves a player scoring a goal, getting an assist, and getting into a fight in a single game (named after the legendary Gordie Howe). This is not officially recognized by the NHL.