A Jumbo Hat Trick

He scored one goal. Then another. And then, sending SAP Center into a cacophonous frenzy, he scored a third.
Last night, 39-year-old Joe Thornton scored his fifth career hat trick against his former team, the Boston Bruins. It was his first hat trick since October 27, 2010.

His second goal of the night came late in the second period to bring the Sharks within one goal of the Bruins. Radim Simek shot the puck from the point, bouncing it off of the Bruins goalie and then Thornton, who immediately put the puck in the net with his stick.

And hat trick watch was on.
With just under seven minutes left in the third period, Pavelski gave the puck to Thornton at the blue line. Jumbo took the puck in and shot towards the net. The puck deflected off a Bruins defenseman, off the goalie, and in.

And the Tank. Went. Crazy.
"This sellout crowd is eating it up in the Bay Area," Randy Hahn said, as Joe Thornton (as per usual) hammed it up on the video board.

Of course, SAP Center wasn't the only place that was celebrating. Twitter blew up with the news that Joe Thornton had scored three goals - and on a national broadcast no less.

Tweet from @FriedgeHNIC: Joe Thornton is trending worldwide....

It did seem like most people were interested in seeing if Jumbo could score four, for some reason...

Unfortunately for everyone but the FCC, Thornton's chance at four via the empty net was dashed thanks to a late Bruins goal and overtime win.
Asked after the game if he was disappointed he couldn't get that fourth goal, Thornton responded, "I'm sure a lot of fans were. Yeah, good thing. I was working for it, though."

Sharks captain Joe Pavelski echoed that. "Knowing Jumbo's got three, and the goalie might be coming out with a chance for four. We all know that story."

But while that fourth goal remains elusive, it doesn't take away from adding the hat trick as yet another amazing accomplishment to an already legendary career.
Congrats, Jumbo!