Coyotes' Brad Richardson becomes second player to net 4-goal game this season

If you told me that Brad Richardson of the Arizona Coyotes would score four goals in an NHL game before tonight, I would have begun to drink a glass of water and sprayed it all over you as I laughed hysterically.

(Why would I begin downing the water after your statement, you may ask? That’s a very good question that I don’t have the answer to at this time.)

Following his sensational performance against the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night, it’s Richardson doing the laughing now.

Entering the game with 93 goals in 730 regular season games during his 14-year NHL career, including 12 in 47 contests this season, the 34-year-old couldn’t be stopped.

He began his magical night by opening the scoring midway through the first period. After jumping out of the penalty box, he was hit by a nice stretch pass from Lawson Crouse and took care of business.

Later in the frame, he made it 2-1 for Arizona when he shovelled a loose puck past Vancouver’s netminder Thatcher Demko for his second of the evening.

He waited until the halfway point of the second period to complete his hat trick and make it a 3-1 game.

The only other hatty that he ever put together came back in 2010 against the Colorado Avalanche while a member of the Los Angeles Kings. On this particular night, the 2012 Stanley Cup winner wasn’t satisfied with three tallies, though.

His final tuck rounded out the scoring in the 5-2 victory and was the first four-goal contest in franchise history since Keith Tkachuk netted the same number back on March 20, 1997.

Additionally, it was the first four-goal night by a Coyote on home ice, according to Sportsnet Stats.

Seeing a veteran put together a ridiculous night has to bring a smile to your face — I just wish that it was Joe Thornton that did it instead of Richardson, but beggars can’t be choosers, I suppose.

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