NHL playoffs 2019: Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski records Gordie Howe hat trick in Game 2 vs. Tampa Bay

Rudi Schuller

NHL playoffs 2019: Blue Jackets' Zach Werenski records Gordie Howe hat trick in Game 2 vs. Tampa Bay image

Getting a goal, assist and fight in the same game is rare in regular circumstances, but doing so in the playoffs against the Presidents' Trophy winners is downright unthinkable.

Also known as a Gordie Howe hat trick, named after the late Detroit Red Wings legend who could hold his own on the scoresheet and with the gloves off, it involves registering a fighting major along with with a goal and helper. It has become something of a unicorn in modern hockey; in the postseason, when the frequency of fights drops off even more, recording the rare treble is nearly unheard of.

On Friday, Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski collected a goal and dropped the gloves in the first period before completing the Gordie Howe hat trick with an assist early in the second period in Game 2 of Columbus' first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

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It all started at the midway mark of the opening period when Werenski collected a pass off the faceoff from Matt Duchene. The 21-year-old took a stride before unleashing a wrist shot that found its way through traffic and past Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy for a power-play goal.

Minutes later, an unlikely fight broke out between Werenski and Lightning forward Brayden Point.

Then, less than 90 seconds into the second period, Werenski fed Duchene who buried his own rebound for a power-play goal that put Columbus up 3-0.

Duchene's goal was the Blue Jackets' seventh straight against the Lightning after Tampa Bay had built up a 3-0 first-period lead in Game 1. Columbus battled back to win that game 4-3 , with Werenski registering an assist on the winning goal.

Rudi Schuller