Taylor Raddysh had one of the biggest games of his career in a battle between arguably two of the worst teams in the NHL on Thursday.
Raddysh notched his second-career hat trick — nearly half of his goal total with the Capitals last season (7) — in the New York Rangers’ 6-5 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks. Macklin Celebrini, the first overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft, had five points — his own second career hat trick and the game-winning assist on Will Smith’s OTGWG — to give the Sharks their first victory in seven tries this season.
Matt Rempe and Ryan Reaves also fought each other for the second time in their careers in the game.
Raddysh scored once in each period, notching two tallies at five-on-five and his first short-handed goal since October 15, 2023, when he was a member of the Chicago Blackhawks.
With the Capitals last year, Raddysh experienced a particularly cold three-month stretch during the season, scoring just one goal in 38 games from December 3 to March 5. He was also a healthy scratch for three of the team’s 10 playoff games.
Raddysh’s hat-trick goal came on a wrist shot from the point that eluded goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic with 8:10 remaining, tying the game 5-5 and eventually forcing overtime.
In overtime, Celebrini sent a beautiful cross-ice pass to Smith for the game-winner, sending the Sharks into a huge celebration along the glass.
The Sharks win came after head coach Ryan Warsofsky said in the days prior that he’d give up one of his children for a victory (he later apologized) and defenseman Dmitry Orlov waxed philosophical, telling the AP’s Stephen Whyno that, “We have another game today, another opportunity to make life beautiful. You’ve got a new day to improve better than you were maybe last game, last day.”
As for Raddysh, he signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Rangers over the offseason, putting pen to paper on a two-year, $3 million contract. Raddysh’s replacement on the Capitals, 23-year-old prospect Justin Sourdif, has no points in seven games this season, but has shown promise with his underlying play at five-on-five. The Caps traded two draft picks, including a second-rounder, for Sourdif.
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