Legendary winger Gordie Howe, best known for playing with the Detroit Red Wings from 1946 to 1971, is also known for creating an unofficial statistic: the Gordie Howe hat trick.
Mr. Hockey, as he was known, could score goals, rip down the ice and make stellar passes. But he was also known to drop the gloves.
READ MORE: Gordie Howe dead at 88
And that’s your Gordie Howe hat trick: a goal, an assist and a fight all in one game.
Howe got his first on Oct. 11, 1953 when he scored, got an assist on Red Kelly’s goal, and then fought Maple Leafs defenseman Fernie Flaman.
The origin of the Gordie Howe hat trick isn’t clear, but the The Hockey News began to keep track of the stat in 1996.
Though the unofficial stat lends its name to Howe, according to the NHL he only had 22 fights in his entire career.
Howe died on Friday at the age of 88.
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