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Even joining elite hockey history didn’t faze Evan Bouchard.
The Edmonton Oilers star defenceman scored his first-ever hat trick and contributed three assists Saturday, powering his team to a 6-5 win over the visiting Washington Capitals.
Playing in his 400th regular-season game, Bouchard became just the fourth defenceman in NHL history to notch three goals and three assists in a game. The only other players on that list are Bobby Orr, Tom Bladon and Doug Crossman.
“It’s good company for sure,” Bouchard said. “It’s good for me to be on that list, but more importantly we got the win on a big night.”
It was a big night for the 26-year-old blueliner, who now has 14 goals and 41 assists on the season.
“As good a game as I’ve seen from a D-man. Special,” said Oilers captain Connor McDavid. “That’s his level. His best is among the best in the world. Not just D-men. Players.”
Bouchard’s first goal of the night came 19:12 into the first period when, stationed just inside the blue line, he sent a blast soaring through traffic and in past Capitals goalie Charlie Lindgren.
He then gave Edmonton a 2-1 lead less than five minutes into the second with a long bomb that hit Lindgren’s glove. The goalie tried to swipe at the puck, sending his glove into the back of the net after the rubber.
Hats rained down onto the ice at the 4:30 mark of the third when Bouchard collected a puck from McDavid, stickhandled to the high slot and fired a shot in to complete the hat trick.
His only celebration was raising his stick in the air as his teammates skated over to embrace him.
Drafted 10th overall by Edmonton in 2018, Bouchard has gained a reputation for staying level-headed in all situations.
“I guess that’s kind of how I’ve always been. I try to stay even keel,” he said.: The highs and lows of the game are definitely a thing, but as long as you can keep it even keel, it usually works out for the best.”
Bouchard’s career-best performance Saturday will be a teaching moment for aspiring defenders, said defensive partner Mattias Ekholm.
“I’m going to make sure my kids watch that tomorrow morning,” he said. “I mean, who can do that in the league today, or even historically? That’s a game where he wins it for us, really.”
Away from the puck, Bouchard’s game was strong, too, said Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch.
“I don’t know where to start. He had a big hit in the corner [on Alex Ovechkin]. Obviously the three goals were nice, he made some defensive plays. The list pretty long for all the good things he did,” he said.
“You can tell he’s one of the elite defencemen in the league. He was definitely feeling his best tonight and maybe there was something special about his 400th [game] tonight.”
McDavid magic
Bouchard’s big night slightly overshadowed another massive outing for McDavid.
The superstar centre scored twice — including the game-winner 46 seconds into overtime — and contributed three assists to retake the lead in the NHL points race. He now has 32 goals and 90 points on the season, and sits three points up on Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon.
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