Mad Hatter: Pair of hat tricks get Tavares named NHL’s First Star of the Week

In three games last week, Islanders captain John Tavares scored six goals and added an assist. Those are the kind of numbers that will get you named the NHL’s First Star of the Week, contrary what paranoid idiots with low self esteem will have you believe.

In a weird quirk of scheduling, First Star Tavares will take on Second Star Oscar Dansk tonight as the Vegas Golden Knights bring their improbable 8-1-0 record to Barclays Center. Goalie Dansk was 2-0 with a shutout last week. Ottawa’s Jean-Gabriel Pageau was the third star.

This whole NHL Star ranking thing isn’t new to Tavares, but still; it’s nice to see great play rewarded. And as much fun as it was to see Tavares score a natural hat trick to lead the Islanders to a win on Saturday night in Nashville, I don’t think I’ll soon forget his earlier three goal game that Monday at home against Arizona.

Winless jokes aside, Tavares’s hat trick against the Coyotes was a thing of unbelievable, almost surreal beauty. When was the last time you saw a guy score three goals, all on tip-ins? Holy smokes.

Congrats to The Captain. Maybe this small honor will cause him to really cut loose, get wild and crazy and actually crack a smile.