Rasmus Ristolainen has already been making a name for himself among his fellow Buffalo Sabres blueliners as arguably the team’s top young defenseman.
Thursday night, he showed the team and its fans another side of himself: the offensive side.
Ristolainen recorded the first hat trick of his NHL career in Thursday’s 4-3 loss to the Calgary Flames.
It’s a historic moment, as a Sabres’ blueliner hasn’t recorded a hat trick in over 20 years. The last to complete such a feat was Phil Housley, over two decades ago, in the 1987-88 season.
More from Sabre Noise
Ristolainen’s hat trick was also the first recorded by a Buffalo Sabres player in nearly three years; the last to do it was Thomas Vanek, who had a trio of goals against the Boston Bruins on January 31, 2013.