Marner, shedding playoff critiques, scores hat trick in win - ESPN

Mitch Marner scored a natural hat trick in a four-point Game 3 performance, fueling the Vegas Golden Knights to a 6-2 win and a 2-1 series lead over the Anaheim Ducks on Friday night.

In the process, Marner continued to answer criticism about being a Stanley Cup disappointment that has dogged him for years.

«I think he's a hell of a hockey player,» said Vegas coach John Tortorella. «I think he's very confident in what he brings. People give him s--- all the time about playoffs and this and that. I don't think it bothers him a lick. He just plays.»

It was Marner's first career NHL postseason hat trick and only the fourth multigoal playoff game in 79 career postseason appearances. During his nine seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, fans and the media turned him into a playoff pariah, putting the blame on him for the team's lack of postseason success. Marner was traded by the Maple Leafs to Vegas on the eve of free agency, signing an eight-year, $96 million contract with a full no-movement cause.

Critics pointed to Marner's lack of aggressive offense, with his points per game average dropping from 1.13 in the regular season to 0.90 in the playoffs during his time in Toronto. He had just two assists and was a minus-7 in losing six Game 7s. Marner was called «pathetic» and «disengaged» on a national broadcast for his play in Toronto's first-round loss to Boston in 2024.

Now, he's leading the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs in scoring after nine games with 13 points and is tied with teammate Brett Howden for the lead in postseason goals (six).

«I feel like I just want to go out there and play my game. I feel like I've been doing that for a while. I know probably people think the results weren't coming in the past. Sometimes that's