First goal vs. returning Marc-Andre Fleury was a weird one

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Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury returned Tuesday night after missing 25 games with a concussion.

The first goal he gave up in his first action since Oct. 13 was a weird one, though not his fault.

Carolina Hurricanes forward Marcus Kruger was merely following the hockey rule of keeping your stick in the passing lanes.

When Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb tried passing up the ice, the puck bounced off Kruger and past an unsuspecting Fleury.

The goal was the first of the season for Kruger.

He was briefly a Golden Knight, acquired in an offseason trade from the Chicago Blackhawks and dealt two days later to the Hurricanes.

“We haven’t had many of those,” Carolina coach Bill Peters said to reporters postgame. “It was obviously a bizarre-type play and an unfortunate bounce for them, but a good bounce for us. We were due to get a bounce and we got one here tonight.”

Defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk later scored against Fleury. The former Blackhawk was taken by Vegas in the expansion draft then dealt to Carolina. It also was his first goal of the season.

The Hurricanes went on to a 3-2 win in the shootout, earning Carolina goalie Cam Ward his 300th victory.

“It’s something I’ve been striving for, for a while, and was very fortunate to get it tonight,” Ward said to reporters postgame. “I’m just really thankful for the opportunities I’ve been given throughout my entire career, to be able to stay in the same organization for 13 years and get those 300 wins.”

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NHL 2017-18 hat trick tracker

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Dec. 5: St. Louis Blues forward Brayden Schenn (10) recorded a hat trick in a 4-3 win over the Montreal Canadiens.  Jean-Yves Ahern, USA TODAY Sports

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Dec. 2: Montreal Canadiens forward Paul Byron recorded a hat trick in a 10-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings.  Jean-Yves Ahern, USA TODAY Sports

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Dec. 1: The hat trick of Michael Grabner (40) included two empty-net goals in a 5-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden.  Andy Marlin, USA TODAY Sports

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Nov. 28: Radek Faksa notched his first career hat trick for the Stars in a 3-0 win over the Golden Knights.  Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

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Nov. 27: Blackhawks right wing Alex DeBrincat is congratulated by his teammates for notching a hat trick during the second period against the Ducks at the United Center in Chicago.  Dennis Wierzbicki, USA TODAY Sports

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Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his hat trick goal with center Nicklas Backstrom (19) late in the third period against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre. The hat trick was the 20th of Ovechkin's career.  Tom Szczerbowski, USA TODAY Sports

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Dallas Stars center Tyler Seguin (91) celebrates after scoring a hat trick against the Calgary Flames during the third period at the American Airlines Center on Nov. 24.  Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports

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Arizona Coyotes forward Anthony Duclair (10) celebrates after his third goal provided the overtime winner in a 3-2 win against the Ottawa Senators on Nov. 18.  Marc DesRosiers, USA TODAY Sports

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Calgary Flames forward Sean Monahan celebrates his hat trick goal in the second period of the Flames' 5-4 overtime win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Nov. 18.  Bruce Bennett, Getty Images

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Colorado Avalanche forward Gabriel Landeskog (92) is sprayed by goalie Jonathan Bernier (45) following his hat trick goal in the third period of a 6-2 win against the Washington Capitals on Nov. 16.  Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports

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Chicago Blackhawks' Artem Anisimov (15) leaps against the glass after scoring his third goal in a 6-3 win against the New York Rangers on Nov. 15.  Charles Rex Arbogast, AP

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Carolina Hurricanes forward Teuvo Teravainen (86) recorded a natural hat trick in a 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Nov. 13.  James Guillory, USA TODAY Sports

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New Jersey Devils forward Miles Wood (44) recorded a hat trick in a 7-5 win against the Chicago Blackhawks on Nov. 12.  David Banks, USA TODAY Sports

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Nov. 9: Left wing Jason Zucker scored all of his team's goals in a 3-0 Minnesota Wild win against the Montreal Canadiens.  Ryan Remiorz, AP

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Vancouver Canucks forward Brock Boeser (6) celebrates after recording a hat trick in a 4-2 win against Pittsburgh Penguins on Nov. 4.  Anne-Marie Sorvin, USA TODAY Sports

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The Winnipeg Jets' Mark Scheifele (55) had a hat trick in a 5-2 win over the Dallas Stars on Nov. 2.  JOHN WOODS, AP

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Winnipeg Jets forward Blake Wheeler scored three first-period goals during the Jets' 7-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 29.  James Carey Lauder,USA TODAY Sports

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New York Islanders center John Tavares recorded a natural hat trick in the third period of a 6-2 win against the Nashville Predators on Oct. 28.  Christopher Hanewinckel, USA TODAY Sports

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Panthers right wing Radim Vrbata scored his first three goals of the season for a hat trick in an 8-3 win over the Ducks on Oct. 26.  Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports

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New York Islanders center John Tavares (91) recorded a hat trick in his team's 5-3 win over the Arizona Coyotes.  Frank Franklin II, AP

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Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Nieto (83) recorded a hat trick in a 5-3 win over the Dallas Stars on Oct. 24.  Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports

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Sharks forward Logan Couture scored all of his team's goals in a 5-3 loss to the Islanders on Oct. 21.  Adam Hunger, AP

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The Kings' Adrian Kempe, who had no points heading into the game, scored his first career hat trick on Oct. 18 vs. the Canadiens.  Harry How, Getty Images

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Blues left wing Jaden Schwartz had a three-goal game on Oct. 18 vs. the Blackhawks.  Chris Lee, AP

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Jets left wing Nikolaj Ehlers (27) had three goals on Oct. 9 vs. the Oilers.  Sergei Belski, USA TODAY Sports

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Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin had four goals on Oct. 7 vs. the Canadiens, giving him back-to-back hat tricks.  Amber Searls, USA TODAY Sports

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Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin had three goals in his team's Oct. 5 opener at Ottawa.  Marc DesRosiers, USA TODAY Sports

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Blackhawks left wing Brandon Saad had three goals in a 10-1 rout of the Penguins on Oct. 5.  Nam Y. Huh, AP

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Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds, left, celebrates his third goal of the game on Oct. 4 vs. the Sharks.  Tony Avelar, AP

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Reigning MVP Connor McDavid had a hat trick in the Oilers' Oct. 4 opener against the Flames.  Perry Nelson, USA TODAY Sports

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