Pittsburgh hockey fans had something to smile about Sunday night, washing away the bitter taste of the Steelers’ earlier defeat. The Penguins exploded for their highest-scoring game of the season, crushing the Chicago Blackhawks 7-3.
But the real story of the night was Justin Brazeau, who couldn’t miss if he tried.
The first-year Penguin pulled off something special – three shots, three goals, and his first career hat trick.
It’s been quite a journey for Brazeau, who’s making the most of his chances in Pittsburgh. Before this perfect night, he’d only had two other multi-goal games this season – one in the season opener against the Rangers back in October, and another in mid-December during a tough overtime loss to Utah.
Here’s the crazy part: Brazeau has already matched his entire goal total from last season – and he’s done it in just 23 games. Last year, it took him 76 games split between Boston and Minnesota to score 11 goals.
Now he’s done it in less than a third of the time.
The Penguins seem to have found something special in Brazeau, who’s quickly becoming a fan favorite at PPG Paints Arena. His perfect shooting night had the crowd on their feet, making them forget all about that tough Steelers loss from earlier in the day.
For Brazeau and the Pens, this could be just the beginning.
