Coyotes’ Lawson Crouse records 1st career hat trick in win over Ottawa

Arizona Coyotes forward Lawson Crouse certified his career offensive year with a bang on Monday in a 5-3 win over the Ottawa Senators.

The 24-year-old picked up his first career hat trick in just two periods against the Senators, notching goals number 16, 17 and 18 for him on the season. Crouse just needed one on Monday to set a new career high for goals on a season.

Crouse’s hat trick was done in unique fashion, scoring an even-strength, power play and shorthanded goal.

The first came in the opening period on a 2-on-1 breakout for the Coyotes started by Alex Galchenyuk’s pass after a great effort to win a puck on the boards. He quickly found Phil Kessel, who set up Crouse all alone against Ottawa goaltender Filip Gustavsson.

quick snapper 💨 pic.twitter.com/LBlmZ4GeIK

— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) March 14, 2022

Less than two minutes later, Arizona was on the power play. Crouse was working the front of the net and made some nifty work out of it by deflecting a shot from the point by Coyotes defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere.

his second goal of the game and it's good 😉 pic.twitter.com/QT8yVo09GA

— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) March 14, 2022

To wrap it up, Crouse got a complete shorthanded goal in the second period. On a loose puck within range of Ottawa’s Thomas Chabot near the blue line, Crouse extended his stick to poke the puck out of the Senators’ offensive zone. He wound up giving himself a perfect pass off the boards for a breakaway before finishing his dinner.

THE SHORTY FOR THE HATTY 🎩 pic.twitter.com/DroLSBw4Yl

— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) March 15, 2022

With a 3-2 lead for the Coyotes through two periods, Ottawa’s Connor Brown scored the equalizer at 12:30 remaining before the Coyotes’ Nick Schmaltz answered 16 seconds later for his 17th goal of the year that would prove to be the difference. Barrett Hayton secured the Coyotes win with an empty-net goal at 48 seconds to go.

Arizona won despite getting outshot 43-15. Coyotes goalie Scott Wedgewood had 40 saves.

Crouse entered his NHL career with the Coyotes in the 2016-17 season at the age of 19. In his third year with Arizona, Crouse accomplished what would be the first of back-to-back seasons with 25 points. He had already topped that previous high mark of points with 27 entering play on Monday.

Crouse’s hat trick is the first for a Coyotes player this season, with the last three-goal outing coming from Michael Bunting in April of 2021.

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