This is pure joy. (Photo: Johan Bernstrom / Bildbyran)
Jakub Vrana, Capitals’ first-round pick at the last draft, scored a hat trick in his team’s 6-5 shootout win against Farjestad on Friday.
That is a hat trick as the Swedish scorekeepers count it: after scoring two goals in regulation, Vrana also netted a game-winning shootout attempt, which is considered a goal in Sweden, unlike in North America, where we call that a DC Hat Trick. The KHL used to count shootout game-winners as goals early in its existence, too, but then decided against it.
Vrana’s highlights are below the jump.
All videos courtesy of SHL.
In the first minute of the game, Vrana was quick to get to the loose puck in front of the net after a shot by Dominik Granak, lockout teammate of Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom, giving Linkoping an early lead.
Vrana got his second of the game on a blast of a one-timer from the right faceoff circle midway through the third period. Beautiful assist by an ex-Hershey sniper Jacob Micflikier.
The Czech youngster sealed the deal in the shootout, beating goalie Fredrik Petterson-Wentzel five-hole.
Friday’s big performance, which also featured a career-high 18:20 of ice time, capped off Vrana’s impressive stretch of four goals and six points in three games. On Saturday, he was held off the scoresheet in Linkoping’s convincing 4-0 defeat of Djurgarden.
