NHL scores 2017: Filip Forsberg remains dominant with his second hat trick in as many games

It’s hard enough to score a hat trick in this league, considering the state of the NHL and scoring. Rookie wunderkind Patrik Laine has three on the year. Filip Forsberg has two, in two games.

Last year, Forsberg had two natural hat tricks in a span of four days. This year he cut that time down to three with another hat trick, this one also a natural. His first came on Tuesday in a 6-5 loss against the Flames. The other came Thursday night, in the Predators’ 4-2 victory over the Avalanche.

The final one of the night was an empty netter, but without Forsberg the Predators would have been sitting ducks against a surprisingly tough basement-dwelling Avalanche team. Viktor Arvidsson got Nashville’s first of the night then from there it became the Forsberg show, as the 22-year-old rattled off three straight goals in the win.

Good thing too, as the Predators keep their one-point lead in the wild card race over the Flames and a five-point lead over the Jets thanks to Forsberg’s offensive supernova.

Also hitting the three-goal mark was Patrick Kane, who did so just days after Jonathan Toews got a hat trick of his own. Lots of hats out there on the ice on Thursday.

Flames 3, Lightning 2
Islanders 3, Canadiens 0
Rangers 2, Maple Leafs 1 (SO)
Predators 4, Avalanche 2
Blackhawks 6, Coyotes 3
Bruins 4, Kings 1

1. The Islanders’ turnaround is for real

At the turn of the yearly calendar, I was ready to put the Islanders to bed. So were many across the NHL. However, reports of the Islanders’ death was greatly exaggerated and hey, they’re back! A 3-0 shutout win over the Canadiens on Thursday was thanks in part to Thomas Greiss’ 24 saves, and more production out of New York’s top line.

How far have the Islanders come, you ask? They’ve moved from 28th overall to the second wild card position in a little over a month.

2. Sean Monahan has hit the century mark

If you need a reminder, young Sean Monahan is only 22 years old and he’s already hit the 100-goal threshold in the NHL. In just 298 games. Which, for those at home, averages out to almost a goal per three games. Insanity, right? Monahan hit the century mark on Thursday in the Flames 3-2 win over the Lightning, making him the sixth-youngest active player to hit it and the youngest in Calgary history.

Here’s to many more from Monahan.

3. The goaltenders were out to play in Toronto

It’s been a while, it feels like, since we had a good old goaltender’s duel. Henrik Lundqvist and Frederik Andersen went almost save for save on Thursday in the Rangers’ 2-1 shootout victory over the Maple Leafs. Both sides allowed one goal in regulation, then were dominant enough to take it to a shootout.

Overtime especially was a showcase, with Lundqvist and Andersen making stops late in the extra frame, one right after the other.

The Bruins bested the Kings on David Pastrnak’s 26th goal of the season.