When a player scores four goals in a single hockey game, there isn't a unique, universally recognized special term for it. It is simply referred to as a four-goal game.
Understanding Goal-Scoring Milestones
While many sports have specific names for remarkable individual scoring achievements, hockey's terminology is quite straightforward for most multi-goal performances.
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Three Goals: The Hat Trick
The most famous individual scoring achievement in hockey is the hat trick, where a player scores three goals in a single game. This tradition, believed to originate from cricket, is widely celebrated in hockey, often with fans throwing hats onto the ice. -
Four Goals: The Four-Goal Game
For a player scoring four goals, the achievement is commonly described as a "four-goal game" or that the player "scored four goals." There is no special, single-word nomenclature like "quad trick" or similar. -
Five Goals: The Five-Goal Game
Similarly, if a player reaches five goals in a game, it is typically called a "five-goal game." This is an extremely rare feat in professional hockey. -
Six Goals: The Double Hat Trick
Achieving six goals in a single game is an exceptionally rare event in the NHL, having occurred only twice since the end of World War II. When it does happen, it is sometimes referred to as a double hat trick, playing on the established "hat trick" term.
In essence, while scoring four goals is an impressive accomplishment highlighting a player's exceptional performance, the hockey community uses descriptive language rather than a specific, codified term for this particular milestone.
