Nathan MacKinnon makes more history, hits 50 goals and hat trick

Colorado Avalanche superstar Nathan MacKinnon is a man possessed.

On the hunt for his first Hart Trophy as the NHL’s MVP, MacKinnon was absolutely ridiculous against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night.

He scored three goals in the first two periods, earning the seventh regular season hat trick of his career and tallying goals 49, 50 and 51 on the season. MacKinnon’s also had two four-goal games this year, cementing that he’s the best hockey player on Earth.

It’s the first time in MacKinnon’s career he’s passed the 50-goal mark, joining Mikko Rantanen, Joe Sakic and Milan Hejduk as the only Avalanche players to ever accomplish the feat. He’s the sixth member of the club in franchise history, counting the time the team spent in Quebec before moving to Colorado in 1995.

All three goals were beautiful, but 50 and 51 sent Ball Arena into a frenzy. Here’s how they looked, with “MVP” chants coming from the fans loud and proud after the last two tallies.

You're going to want to watch these three Nathan MacKinnon goals. 🥵

This guy is absolutely RIDICULOUS.

Hat Trick Challenge presented by @AstraZenecaUS pic.twitter.com/POe9Ti2k0u

— NHL (@NHL) April 10, 2024

As mentioned, it’s MacKinnon’s seventh regular season hat trick of his career, to go along with another two in the playoffs.

He becomes just the second player in the NHL in the last 25 years to reach 50-plus goals and 85-plus assists on a season. Connor McDavid accomplished the feat in 2022-23.

The Avs led 5-2 after two periods, seeking to stay ahead of the Winnipeg Jets in the standings and earn home-ice advantage in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Nathan MacKinnon was the biggest reason why, as right now he’s just playing at a different level than anyone else on the ice.

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