On This Day [March 20]: Tkachuk for Four
Keith Tkachuk registered the first four-goal outing in Coyotes history on March 20, 1997
by Alex Kinkopf @AEKinkopf / Arizona Coyotes
Keith Tkachuk went off for four goals on March 20, 1997 in downtown Chicago to drive the Coyotes to a 4-2 victory over the Blackhawks.
It was a small piece of what was a wondrous season for Tkachuk, who scored at a career-high pace during the Coyotes' first season in the Valley.
He led the NHL with 52 goals during the 1996-97 campaign.
On that particular night, Tkachuk scored twice in the first period and netted his third of the evening, the game-winner, with 9:37 remaining in regulation. He redirected an Oleg Tverdovsky slap shot for that all-important third tally, producing on a power play via his well-known knack to get to the net.
The Coyotes' inaugural roster combined for four hat tricks, Tkachuk had two of them.
Tkachuk added into the Blackhawks' empty net with 20 seconds remaining to register the first four-goal outing in club history.
Along with Tverdovsky, Craig Janney (2), Mike Gartner, Jeremy Roenick (2), and Mike Stapleton recorded assists.
Nikolai Khabibulin made 40 saves in the win, improving the Coyotes' record to 34-34-5.
Tkachuk's four-goal performance stood as the only of such in Coyotes history until February 28 of last season, when Brad Richardson netted four in a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks.
Video: VAN@ARI: Richardson leads Coyotes with four-goal game
Tkachuk ranks third in the franchise in goals scored, amassing 323 over a stretch of 10 seasons with the Jets and Coyotes.
He extended his goal-scoring streak to five games that night, while upping his season total to 46.
Lead Photo Credit: Al Bello - Allsport via Getty Images // Footer Photo Credit: Nevin Reid - Allsport via Getty Images