Natty Hatty for Pavelski

Sharks fans are getting used to losing their hats this season.
Yesterday, against the Detroit Red Wings, Joe Pavelski scored his fifth career hat trick to help lead the Sharks to a 5-3 win. Not only was it a hat trick, but it was a natural hat trick, with all three goals being scored in a row.

Pavelski's first goal came late in the second period with the Sharks down 3-2. Kevin Labanc dug the puck out of the corner in the offensive zone, sending it back to Brent Burns at the point. Burns passed the puck across the ice to Joe Thornton, who shot the puck towards the net at the top of the circle. Thornton shot the puck towards the net, where Pavelski picked up the rebound and tucked the puck home to tie the game.

The second goal of the game was a classic Pavelski goal that will definitely end up on his career highlight reel.
Tomas Hertl took the puck up the boards, then passed it at across the ice to Tim Heed at the point. Heed shot the puck at Pavelski, probably around eight feet to the side of the net, and Pavelski somehow got his stick on the puck and deflected it top shelf.

Really, watch this deflection. It's absolutely ridiculous. Randy Hahn called Pavelski "The best tipper in all of the National Hockey League!" and we dare anyone to disagree after seeing that.
The final goal of the hat trick was a little easier than the others. With just over a minute left in the third period, with the Sharks up 4-3, the Red Wings had pulled their goalie for the extra attacker. There was a face-off in the neutral zone, and Pavelski won it. Hertl gathered the puck, then passed it back to Pavelski, who backhanded the puck from past the red line to complete the natty hatty.

This was the sixth hat trick by the San Jose Sharks this season, tied for the league lead with the Winnipeg Jets and Pittsburgh Penguins.
As mentioned before, this was Pavelski's fifth career hat trick. It was also his fifth career road hat trick - but that doesn't mean Sharks fans haven't had a chance to throw their hats for him.

Thanks to these three goals - and his generally great season - Pavelski has scored 35 goals, which is the most in Sharks franchise history by a player 34 or older. He also became the 12th US-born player to score 350 NHL goals.