Jason Robertson Scores Third-Fastest Natural Hat Trick in Dallas Stars History

WASHINGTON — Jason Robertson scored on a power play Tuesday night at Capital One Arena, 23 seconds after the second period began. He scored again at 3:18 and a third time at 5:43, a natural hat trick in 5:20 that put the Dallas Stars ahead of the Washington Capitals 4-0.

Dallas won 6-5. Robertson scored the three goals on four shots during that stretch, finished with five shots on goal, and added an assist for a four-point night.

Two players in franchise history have scored a hat trick faster. Tom McCarthy did it in 5:15 on March 12, 1984, when the franchise played in Minnesota as the North Stars. Jamie Benn, who had an assist for Dallas on Tuesday, did it in 5:17 on April 7, 2018.

It was the seventh hat trick of Robertson’s NHL career and his third natural hat trick. Filip Forsberg and Sidney Crosby are the only active players with more natural hat tricks, with four each.

Three Goals On Four Shots

Robertson was at the left point when Wyatt Johnston got him the puck. Nobody picked him up as he carried it into the left faceoff circle, and his wrist shot beat Logan Thompson on the near side, glove hand. Roope Hintz picked up the second assist on what turned out to be Dallas’ only goal in two power plays.

Arttu Hyry made the drop pass on the next one. Jakob Chychrun came at Robertson along the right boards, and Robertson sidestepped him and roofed a shot from the top of the right circle over Thompson’s blocker. Tyler Myers also got an assist.

Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan moved Hyry from center to the wing at practice Monday in Frisco, putting him on a line with Robertson and Hintz before the team flew to Washington.

From the point, Robertson sent a shot through traffic that went in off the right post. That ended Thompson’s night after four goals on 11 shots, and Washington coach Spencer Carbery sent Charlie Lindgren in with 14:17 left in the second period.

Robertson said the goals came so quickly he did not have time to digest them.

“It’s been a couple times in my career where a couple go in right away, and then you’re just feeling it, and then just stick with it,” Robertson said. “I don’t know. It’s been like that a couple times, but it’s nice when it goes in.”

Robertson And Mikko Rantanen Share The Team Lead

The goals were Robertson’s sixth, seventh, and eighth of the season. Mikko Rantanen scored his eighth later in the second period, and the two are tied for the Dallas lead. Robertson scored 45 goals last season.

Rantanen also has a hat trick this season. He scored all three goals in a 3-2 win over the Boston Bruins on Oct. 20 at American Airlines Center.

Gulutzan said Robertson’s defensive play stood out to him as much as the scoring did.

“I just thought he was dialed in today,” Gulutzan said. “It’s one of the better two-way games I’ve seen. I thought ‘Robo’ was real good both ways, and I’m glad because he played really good defensively, and he got rewarded offensively, and you could see his goal-scoring ability kind of shine through.”

Joel Kiviranta called it “Robo doing Robo things.” His own goal, a backhand into an open net after a Radek Faksa shot hit the post, had opened the scoring in the first period.

Washington answered Robertson’s third goal with five of its own. Ryan Leonard scored the last of them with 1:02 remaining, and it stayed 6-5 from there.

Dallas plays in Columbus on Thursday. Puck drop against the Columbus Blue Jackets is 6 p.m. CT.