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Ranking the 4 hat tricks through the opening 2 nights of the NHL season

Bill Smith / National Hockey League / Getty

We've been pretty spoiled through the first two nights of the 2017-18 NHL season.

There's been goals up the wazoo, and with that we've been blessed with four hat tricks. Each has been impressive in its own way, but lets be honest, some goals are prettier than others and some performances rank higher - in our minds, anyways.

Here is how the first four hat tricks of the season stack up against one another:

1. Ovechkin's three 3rd-period daggers

Alex Ovechkin is No. 1.

Things were looking so good for the Ottawa Senators on Thursday night before the six-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner realized he'd had enough.

With the Senators up 3-1 over the Capitals, Ovechkin scored twice to knot the game at 3-3. After Mark Stone gave the Senators the lead again, Ovi shut it down, completing the hat trick to send the game to overtime.

The Capitals would ultimately reign victorious in the shootout, where for good measure Ovechkin would score once more.

2. McDavid does it all for Oilers

Connor McDavid would have slotted lower - considering he completed the hat trick into the empty net - but that second goal was just bonkers.

Last year's MVP proved once again that his foot speed is only rivaled by the speed of his hands and the car he drove to the rink in.

McDavid's three goals were all the Oilers needed to escape with a 3-0 win over the Calgary Flames and enough to make us realize we aren't worthy of him.

3. Welcome home Saad

It's hard to miss Artemi Panarin when Brandon Saad plays like that.

The Chicago Blackhawks returnee looked right back at home tallying three of the team's goals in a head-shaking 10-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday.

Saad became just the second Blackhawks player to score a hat trick on opening night, joining Bobby Hull. Any time you're in the same conversation as the Golden Jet, you know you're doing OK.

4. Simmonds ain't afraid of no shark

It's hard to knock anyone who scores three goals in a game, but if we are going to compare goals (which we are) Wayne Simmonds' trio against the San Jose Sharks ranks fourth.

Simmonds showed off some great hands with two deflection goals before capping things off with an empty-netter.

The Philadelphia Flyers forward is coming off back-to-back 30-goal seasons and, after a strong first game of 2017-18, one would think hitting that mark once again will certainly be in the cards.

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