Brian Boyle claimed his first NHL hat-trick on Monday - a week after saying he was in remission from blood cancer.
The 33-year-old was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukaemia in September 2017 and has continued to play for the New Jersey Devils, who beat Pittsburgh Penguins 5-1.
Boyle's treble was his first in 705 NHL games and also came on Pittsburgh's Hockey Fights Cancer awareness night.
"I love these nights, I really do," said the American centre.
Boyle was told it could be 18 months before the disease went into full remission but it took just over 12 months.
"Sometimes you feel kind of alone," he told NHL.com. "It can be a dark place at times during a cancer fight.
"The worst part of it was people feel sorry for you. They don't know what to say. You want them to feel comfortable around you.
"I think it's important just to reach out and ask questions if you need the help. I was fortunate enough to be uplifted by all the people in here, my family."