BEIJING, China — The American women's hockey team is gearing up to face off against their natural rivals in their sport -- the Canadians.
It's one of the fiercest and longest-running grudge matches, playing out for the second time in Beijing at the Winter Olympics Wednesday night.
There are a number of traditions and tricks in the sport that some Olympics watchers may not be a familiar with. Viewers might be confused if they hear commentators mention a "hat trick" amid the heated competition.
So, what is a hat trick? According to the National Hockey League, a hat trick happens when a single player scores three goals within the duration of one game. That trio of goals earns that player a "cascade of hats thrown onto the ice by fans."
There's also a natural hat trick, meaning a player scores three consecutive goals amid a game.
The NHL said it's a fun tradition that emerged from the game of cricket. Back in the 1850s, H.H. Stephenson, a bowler with an all-England squad, hit the wooden stakes behind the batter three times in a row in Sheffield. The cricket match was against a team from South Yorkshire.
"A collection was taken up and used to buy a hat that was presented to Stephenson in recognition of his accomplishment," the NHL said.
Though no one is positive how exactly the term "hat trick" emerged in the professional hockey world, the NHL said the Hockey Hall of Fame indicates some think it started in Toronto in the 1940s. The NHL writes a Toronto businessman offered a hat to any player who scored three goals during an NHL game in the city to promote his company.
There's no guarantee the Canadians or the Americans will pull off a hat trick Wednesday night. Even if a player on either team did successfully carry out the trick, there may not be any hats on the ice this time since spectators are not permitted at the Olympics due to COVID.