There is no doubt that the Chicago Blackhawks and New Jersey Devils have each struggled defensively this season. The New Jersey Devils have given up 191 goals (second most goals allowed in the Eastern Conference), while the Chicago Blackhawks have given up 181 goals (third most goals allowed in the Western Conference).
On Friday, there were 13 goals scored between the Devils and Blackhawks, with the Blackhawks coming away with an 8-5 win at the United Center in Chicago. For the second time this season, teammates registered hat tricks in the same game as Patrick Kane of Buffalo, New York and Brandon Hagel of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan each scored thrice. The first time teammates had hat tricks on the same night this year came on January 2, as Bryan Rust of Pontiac, Michigan and Evan Rodrigues of Toronto, Ontario each scored thrice for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Ironically in both games the score was 8-5, as the Penguins beat the San Jose Sharks by three, and in each game a Canadian and an American had a hat trick.
In the Blackhawks win over the Devils, Kane had three goals and one assist for four points. However, he was a surprise -2 on the night. It has been a poor season defensively for Kane, as he is a -19 on the season overall. It was Kane’s 10th career hat trick, with his last one coming on November 1, 2021, in a 5-1 Blackhawks win over the Ottawa Senators. Kane also now has three hat tricks in the last three years. He scored thrice for Chicago in a 5-3 win over the Minnesota Wild on December 15, 2019. It was the first career hat trick meanwhile for Hagel, who was playing in his 100th National Hockey League game on Friday.
Kane now has 16 goals and 37 assists for 53 points this season. Hagel, surprisingly has one more goal than Kane, as he has 17 goals and 13 assists for 30 points.
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