In hockey, a hat trick is when a player scores three goals in one game, and all three goals must be scored in regulation or overtime. The term "hat trick" originated in cricket in 1858, but it has since become a popular term in hockey. When a player scores a hat trick, it is a special and historic moment for both the player and the fans. The tradition of throwing hats onto the ice to celebrate a hat trick began in 1946 when Chicago Blackhawks forward Alex Kaleta made a bet with a local store owner in Toronto that if he scored three goals in the game that evening, the owner would give him a free hat. That night, Kaleta scored three goals and earned his complimentary hat from the store owner.

There are two types of hat tricks in hockey:

• Regular Hat Trick: This occurs when a single player scores three goals in the course of an entire game, but other players may score goals in between that players goals.

• Natural Hat Trick: This occurs when a player scores three goals in a row in a game without any other goals being scored in between.

In addition to these types of hat tricks, there is also a "Gordie Howe hat trick," which is achieved when a player gets a goal, an assist, and gets into a fight, all in the same game. The NHL record for the most hat tricks in a career is held by Wayne Gretzky with 50.