Belarus’ Aliaksei Protas gets first NHL hat trick

Aliaksei Protas, forward of the Washington Capitals, has tallied the first hat trick of his NHL career.

The Belarusian forward scored his team’s second, fourth and seventh (empty-net) goals in a 7-4 victory against the Anaheim Ducks.

Ice hockey legend Alexander Ovechkin contributed two assists to Protas’ success.

This season Aliaksei Protas has had 58 (28+30) points in 65 matches, posting a high rating of plus-39. He goes one point behind Belarus’ Yegor Sharangovich’s last season record for goals scored in the NHL regular season.

Aliaksei Protas earned Belarus’ seventh hat trick in the NHL. Forward Andrei Kostitsyn was the first Belarusian to notch a hat trick, leading the Montreal Canadiens to a 3-2 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins on 27 December 2008. Andrei Kostitsyn’s second hat trick came against the Washington Capitals 5-6 (OT) in the Stanley Cup edition on 17 April 2010.

Yegor Sharangovich produced two hat tricks in the NHL regular seasons. He had the first one playing for the New Jersey Devils against the Calgary Flames (6-7 OT) and also tallies three goals in a 6-2 win against the Arizona Coyotes. Mikhail Grabovski had a hat trick in a match between the Washington Capitals and the Chicago Blackhawks (4-6) on 1 October 2013. Sergei Kostitsyn scored a hat trick to lead the Nashville Predators to a 5-3 win against the Calgary Flames on 1 January 2012.

Press service of the NOC of Belarus
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