The Anaheim Ducks announced that defenseman John Carlson recorded his first career hat trick during Thursday’s 6-1 victory over the San Jose Sharks at Honda Center.
Carlson played 1,156 regular-season games and 137 Stanley Cup playoff contests across 17 NHL seasons before achieving the milestone.
The 36-year-old Carlson’s three goals snapped Anaheim’s six-game losing streak and boosted the team’s playoff chances as they chase their first postseason appearance since 2017.
“I’ve seen a lot (of hat tricks) in my day, and always was a little bit jealous,” Carlson said with a grin.
Carlson spent nearly 17 seasons with the Washington Capitals alongside Alex Ovechkin, who has 34 career hat tricks. The defenseman joined Anaheim at the trade deadline to help shore up one of the league’s worst defensive units.
His third goal with 5:57 remaining sent hats cascading onto the ice. It marked just the fourth hat trick by a defenseman in Ducks history and the first since 2018.
“It was great. I’ve obviously always wanted one. I think it was a good game to do it in, a home game. The crowd was great tonight from puck drop, and I think we just kept feeding on that and played a really good game.”
Carlson became the third defenseman in NHL history to record a hat trick after turning 36.
He joins Mathieu Schneider and Nicklas Lidstrom in that category. Lidstrom was 40 when he accomplished the feat on Dec. 15, 2010. Only Lidstrom played more games among NHL defensemen than Carlson before recording his first hat trick.
The veteran has collected 12 points in 13 games since the trade. He’s adapted well to his first jersey change while helping improve Anaheim’s struggling power play.
“He comes in and he’s an amazing player,” said center Leo Carlsson, who scored the game’s opening goal for his 28th of the season. “Great person, too. He helps us a lot, so nothing but amazing things to say about him.”
Carlson now has 14 goals this season between Washington and Anaheim.
That total sits three shy of his career-high 17 goals from 2021-22.
His first goal came on a 97.47 mph slap shot in the opening period. The blast marked the hardest shot that resulted in a goal for Anaheim all season.
Carlson added two power-play goals 3½ minutes apart in the third period. Both came on heavy shots that helped break Anaheim’s recent power-play struggles.
The Ducks had converted just once in their previous 15 power-play opportunities across four games, dropping to 25th in the league.
“I thought he’s got the presence to shoot from the top,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “He’s got good play recognition, and the power play needed that.”
Thursday’s performance came two days after Ducks fans booed their team off the ice during a 5-0 loss to Nashville. Anaheim dominated the rival Sharks instead, another young team fighting for playoff positioning.
The victory left Anaheim in third place in the Pacific Division with 89 points.
The Ducks trail first-place Edmonton by just one point. Anaheim held the division lead for a full month before slipping back over the past week.
With three games remaining, Carlson believes the team can secure enough points for a playoff berth. It would mark his 15th postseason appearance in a career that includes the 2018 Stanley Cup championship with Washington.
“Building that mentality, reaching back for a picture or a memory of (good) starts, those things are all good to have at this point in the year,” Carlson said.
