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Hartman's 1st career hat trick includes 2 empty netters

David Banks / USA TODAY Sports

One to distort for the grandchildren.

Chicago Blackhawks rookie Ryan Hartman collected his first career hat trick (and a natural one at that) Sunday night versus the Nashville Predators, scoring with a pair of empty-net goals 42 seconds apart late in the third period.

Sticking with the unconventional, Hartman's scoring began rather appropriately with a fortunate bounce off his left hip as he drove to the front of the net.

On his second, Richard Panik chased the puck Hartman had flipped toward the vacated net, but resisted the urge to whack it in. Finally on his third, Hartman aimlessly fired the puck while deep in his own zone. But when it struck the back of Patrick Kane, luck would have it that the Blackhawks gained control, sending Hartman in for his trick.

It was a serendipitous night, but Hartman reached double-digit totals for goals in his rookie season nonetheless, and now ranks fifth among Blackhawks in that department.

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