(Bumped and updated. Original post was in June 2007.)
There have been 95 hat tricks in MLS regular season play from 1996 until now. When you realize that there's been 2,748 games (through 2010), that means that the odds of seeing a hat trick for either team are 3.46%. Based on that, if you attend all your team's home games, you'll probably see one every two years. In addition, there have only been 10 games where a player has scored 4+ goals. Odds of seeing one of those: 0.36% (or one in 275 games).
The home/away breakdown is 62/33 (65% at home). Also, the records of the teams with the hat trick: 90-3-2. The player with the fewest amount of goals in his MLS career to have a hat trick prior to this year is Jose Vasquez (6). After the retirement of Blaise Nkufo (5) before the 2011 season, he now holds that record along with Birahim Diop (who should score at least one more goal to surpass him).
There have also been 12 more hat tricks by MLS teams outside of the regular season: 8 in the Open Cup, 2 in the playoffs, 1 in the CONCACAF Champions League, and 1 in the Canadian Championship.
Most Hat Tricks (regular season only)
| 1 | Stern John | 5
| 1
| Diego Serna | 5 | 3
| Edson Buddle
| 4
| | 3 | Mamadou Diallo | 4 | | 3 | Cobi Jones | 4 | 6
| Conor Casey | 3 | 6
| Landon Donovan
| 3
| 6
| Amado Guevara
| 3
| 6
| Eduardo Hurtado | 3 | 6
| Taylor Twellman | 3 |
Most Hat Tricks (all competitions)
| 1 | Stern John | 6 | | 2 | Diego Serna | 5 | 3
| Edson Buddle
| 4
| | 3 | Raul Diaz Arce | 4 | | 3 | Mamadou Diallo | 4 | | 3 | Cobi Jones | 4 | 7
| Conor Casey | 3 | 7
| Landon Donovan
| 3
| 7
| Amado Guevara
| 3
| 7
| Eduardo Hurtado | 3 | 7
| Roy Lassiter | 3 | 7
| Taylor Twellman | 3 |
Team Breakdown (regular season only)
| FOR | AGAINST | | CHI | 5 | 4
| | CHV | 0 | 8
| | CLB | 9 | 6
| | COL | 6 | 10 | | DAL | 4 | 8 | | DC | 8 | 8 | | HOU | 4
| 0 | | KC | 6
| 8 | | LA | 16 | 4 | | MIA | 6 | 3 | | NE | 9 | 8 | | NY | 10 | 13 | | PHI | 1 | 0 | | RSL | 1 | 3 | | SEA | 1
| 0 | | SJ | 4
| 6
| | TB | 5 | 4 | | TOR | 0 | 2
|
Team Breakdown (all competitions)
| FOR | AGAINST | | CHI | 6 | 4
| | CHV | 0 | 8
| | CLB | 10 | 6
| | COL | 6 | 10 | | DAL | 6 | 9 | | DC | 12 | 9 | | HOU | 4
| 0 | | KC | 6
| 8 | | LA | 17 | 4 | | MIA | 7 | 3 | | NE | 9 | 8 | | NY | 10 | 13 | | PHI | 1 | 0 | | RSL | 2 | 3 | | SEA | 1
| 0 | | SJ | 4
| 6
| | TB | 5 | 5 | | TOR | 1 | 2
|
Year Breakdown (regular season only)
| Tricks | Games | PCT | | 1996 | 8 | 160 | 5.0% | | 1997 | 5 | 160 | 3.1% | | 1998 | 13 | 192 | 6.8% | | 1999 | 3 | 192 | 1.6% | | 2000 | 9 | 192 | 4.7% | | 2001 | 7 | 158 | 4.4% | | 2002 | 6 | 140 | 4.3% | | 2003 | 4 | 150 | 2.7% | | 2004 | 6 | 150 | 4.0% | | 2005 | 6 | 192 | 3.1% | | 2006 | 4 | 192 | 2.1% | | 2007 | 5 | 195 | 2.6% | | 2008 | 7 | 210 | 3.3% | | 2009 | 5 | 225 | 2.2% | | 2010 | 7
| 240
| 2.9% |
|
|
|
| | Total | 95
| 2748 | 3.5% |
Year Breakdown (all competitions)
| Tricks | | 1996 | 9 | | 1997 | 5 | | 1998 | 14 | | 1999 | 5 | | 2000 | 12 | | 2001 | 8 | | 2002 | 6 | | 2003 | 5 | | 2004 | 6 | | 2005 | 7 | | 2006 | 5 | | 2007 | 5
| 2008
| 7
| 2009
| 6
| 2010
| 7
|
All MLS Hat Tricks
(note: OC = Open Cup, PO = Playoffs, CCL = Champions League, CAN = Canadian Championship. The number on the far right is the number of goals the player scored).
CD CHIVAS USA
(none)
CHICAGO FIRE
| MLS | 2000-05-06 | A | Miami | 3-0 | W | Ante Razov | 3 | | OC | 2000-08-09 | H | Dallas | 5-1 | W | Josh Wolff | 4 | | MLS | 2002-05-19 | A | New England | 3-1 | W | Ante Razov | 3 | | MLS | 2004-06-05 | H | DC United | 3-0 | W | Damani Ralph | 3 | | MLS | 2005-06-04 | H | Chivas USA | 5-2 | W | Nate Jaqua | 3 | MLS
| 2008-10-23
| H
| New York
| 5-2
| W
| Chris Rolfe
| 33
|
COLORADO RAPIDS
| MLS | 2001-07-04 | H | DC United | 3-1 | W | John Spencer | 3 | | MLS | 2002-07-04 | H | Chicago | 3-2 | W | Chris Carrieri | 3 | | MLS | 2005-06-18 | A | Chivas USA | 3-1 | W | Jeff Cunningham | 3 | MLS
| 2008-09-27
| A
| New York
| 5-4
| W
| Conor Casey
| 3
| MLS
| 2009-04-04
| A
| Los Angeles
| 3-2
| W
| Conor Casey
| 3
| MLS
| 2009-08-08
| H
| Chivas USA
| 4-0
| W
| Conor Casey
| 3
|
COLUMBUS CREW
| MLS | 1996-09-07 | A | Kansas City | 5-1 | W | Brian Maisonneuve | 3 | | MLS | 1998-04-18 | H | Miami | 5-1 | W | Stern John | 3 | | MLS | 1998-05-30 | H | San Jose | 4-1 | W | Stern John | 3 | | MLS | 1998-08-16 | H | Kansas City | 5-3 | W | Stern John | 3 | | MLS | 1999-08-01 | H | Miami | 4-0 | W | Stern John | 3 | | MLS | 1999-08-18 | A | New York | 4-2 | W | Stern John | 3 | | PO | 1999-11-07 | H | DC United | 5-1 | W | Stern John | 3 | | MLS | 2001-06-16 | H | Tampa Bay | 6-1 | W | Dante Washington | 3 | | MLS | 2004-09-04 | H | Los Angeles | 3-1 | W | Ross Paule | 3 | | MLS | 2004-09-18 | H | New York | 4-2 | W | Edson Buddle | 4 |
DC UNITED
| MLS | 1996-05-15 | H | Columbus | 5-2 | W | Steve Rammel | 3 | | MLS | 1996-07-07 | H | Dallas | 6-1 | W | Raul Diaz Arce | 4 | | PO | 1996-10-10 | H | Tampa Bay | 4-1 | W | Raul Diaz Arce | 3 | | MLS | 1997-04-12 | A | Colorado | 5-2 | W | Raul Diaz Arce | 4 | | MLS | 1998-07-18 | H | Chicago | 4-1 | W | Roy Lassiter | 3 | | CCL | 1998-08-11 | H | Joe Public | 8-0 | W | Roy Lassiter | 4 | | MLS | 2000-05-06 | A | Colorado | 5-2 | W | Jaime Moreno | 3 | | OC | 2000-06-14 | A | Charleston | 4-0 | W | Raul Diaz Arce | 3 | | MLS | 2001-05-09 | H | New England | 5-0 | W | Abdul Thompson Conteh | 4 | | OC | 2001-06-27 | H | New Jersey | 8-0 | W | Abdul Thompson Conteh | 3 | MLS
| 2007-06-10
| H
| New York
| 4-2
| W
| Ben Olsen
| 3
| MLS
| 2008-06-14
| H
| New York
| 4-1
| W
| Luciano Emlio
| 3
|
FC DALLAS
| MLS | 1997-07-18 | H | San Jose | 3-1 | W | Dante Washington | 3 | | MLS | 1999-03-20 | H | Kansas City | 4-0 | W | Jason Kreis | 3 | | OC | 1999-07-13 | H | Jacksonville | 3-0 | W | Bobby Rhine | 3 | | MLS | 2002-06-08 | H | Colorado | 4-1 | W | Bobby Rhine | 3 | | OC | 2006-08-02 | A | Charleston | 3-3 | D | Kenny Cooper | 3 | MLS
| 2009-08-01
| H
| Kansas City
| 6-0
| W
| Jeff Cunningham
| 4
|
HOUSTON DYNAMO
|
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| | MLS | 2006-04-02 | H | Colorado | 5-2 | W | Brian Ching | 4 | MLS
| 2007-06-21
| H
| Chivas USA
| 4-0
| W
| Brad Davis
| 3
| MLS
| 2007-09-08
| H
| Real Salt Lake
| 4-3
| W
| Nate Jaqua
| 3
| MLS
| 2010-08-21
| H
| Chicago
| 4-3
| W
| Brian Ching
| 3
|
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS
| MLS | 1998-05-16 | A | New England | 3-1 | W | Vitalis Takawira | 3 | | MLS | 1998-09-05 | H | San Jose | 5-1 | W | Preki | 3 | | MLS | 2004-07-03 | H | Dallas | 5-1 | W | Davy Arnaud | 3 | | MLS | 2007-05-26 | A | New England | 4-3 | W | Eddie Johnson | 3 | | MLS | 2007-06-02 | H | New York | 3-2 | W | Eddie Johnson | 3 | MLS
| 2010-10-23
| H
| San Jose
| 4-1
| W
| Birahim Diop
| 3
|
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
| MLS | 1996-06-09 | A | New York | 4-0 | W | Eduardo Hurtado | 3 | | MLS | 1996-06-26 | H | Colorado | 3-1 | W | Eduardo Hurtado | 3 | | MLS | 1996-07-27 | A | Tampa Bay | 3-4 | L | Cobi Jones | 3 | | MLS | 1997-09-07 | H | Tampa Bay | 6-1 | W | Eduardo Hurtado | 3 | | MLS | 1997-09-21 | A | San Jose | 3-2 | W | Jose Vasquez | 3 | | MLS | 1998-05-06 | H | Colorado | 7-4 | W | Cobi Jones | 3 | | MLS | 1998-05-17 | A | Columbus | 4-2 | W | Martin Machon | 3 | | MLS | 1998-06-04 | A | Dallas | 8-1 | W | Harut Karapetyan | 3 | | MLS | 1998-08-05 | A | Colorado | 6-1 | W | Cobi Jones | 3 | | MLS | 1998-08-22 | A | New England | 5-1 | W | Cobi Jones | 3 | | MLS | 2002-08-31 | H | New York | 3-0 | W | Carlos Ruiz | 3 | | OC | 2003-08-27 | A | Seattle | 5-1 | W | Carlos Ruiz | 3 | | MLS | 2004-05-19 | A | DC United | 4-2 | W | Alejandro Moreno | 3 | MLS
| 2008-04-26
| H
| Chivas USA
| 5-2
| W
| Landon Donovan
| 3
| MLS
| 2008-05-18
| A
| Dallas
| 5-1
| W
| Edson Buddle
| 3
| MLS
| 2008-06-14
| A
| San Jose
| 3-0
| W
| Edson Buddle
| 3
| MLS
| 2008-09-20
| H
| DC United
| 5-2
| W
| Landon Donovan
| 3
|
MIAMI FUSION
| MLS | 1998-08-30 | H | New England | 3-2 | W | Diego Serna | 3 | | OC | 2000-06-14 | H | New Jersey | 6-1 | W | Welton | 4 | | MLS | 2000-06-21 | A | Tampa Bay | 4-1 | W | Diego Serna | 3 | | MLS | 2000-09-02 | H | New York | 4-1 | W | Diego Serna | 4 | | MLS | 2000-09-09 | A | DC United | 6-2 | W | Diego Serna | 3 | | MLS | 2001-06-02 | A | Dallas | 6-2 | W | Diego Serna | 3 | | MLS | 2001-09-08 | H | DC United | 3-1 | W | Alex Pineda Chacon | 3 |
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
| MLS | 1997-05-30 | H | New York | 3-1 | W | Alberto Naveda | 3 | | MLS | 2002-09-07 | H | DC United | 3-0 | W | Taylor Twellman | 3 | | MLS | 2003-08-30 | H | Chicago | 5-1 | W | Chris Brown | 3 | | MLS | 2003-10-25 | H | New York | 5-2 | W | Pat Noonan | 3 | | MLS | 2004-06-02 | A | Kansas City | 3-2 | W | Pat Noonan | 3 | | MLS | 2005-07-16 | H | Dallas | 3-2 | W | Taylor Twellman | 3 | | MLS | 2005-09-10 | H | Columbus | 3-1 | W | Taylor Twellman | 3 | MLS
| 2009-08-23
| H
| Real Salt Lake
| 3-1
| W
| Kheli Dube
| 3
| MLS
| 2010-04-10
| H
| Toronto
| 4-1
| W
| Zack Schilawski
| 3
|
NEW YORK RED BULLS (Metrofanatic story)
| MLS | 1996-05-16 | H | Colorado | 3-0 | W | Giovanni Savarese | 3 | | MLS | 2000-08-26 | A | Dallas | 6-4 | W | Clint Mathis | 5 | | MLS | 2000-09-09 | A | New England | 3-4 | L | Alex Comas | 3 | | MLS | 2001-05-02 | H | Kansas City | 4-1 | W | Clint Mathis | 3 | | MLS | 2002-06-15 | H | Los Angeles | 5-0 | W | Mamadou Diallo | 4 | | MLS | 2005-04-30 | A | Colorado | 3-1 | W | Amado Guevara | 3 | | MLS | 2005-08-21 | H | Chivas USA | 3-3 | D | Amado Guevara | 3 | | MLS | 2006-05-20 | H | Chivas USA | 5-4 | W | Jean-Philippe Peguero | 3 | | MLS | 2006-08-26 | H | Real Salt Lake | 6-0 | W | Edson Buddle | 3 | | MLS | 2006-10-14 | H | Kansas City | 3-2 | W | Amado Guevara | 3 |
PHILADELPHIA UNION
| MLS | 2010-04-10 | H | DC United | 3-2 | W | Sebastien Le Toux | 3 |
REAL SALT LAKE
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| | OC | 2005-07-13 | A | Minnesota | 4-6 | L | Jason Kreis | 3 | MLS
| 2009-04-02
| H
| Columbus
| 4-1
| W
| Robbie Findley
| 3
|
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
| MLS | 2003-09-20 | A | Kansas City | 4-1 | W | Landon Donovan | 3 | | MLS | 2003-09-27 | H | Dallas | 5-2 | W | Dwayne De Rosario | 3 | MLS
| 2010-09-25
| A
| Toronto
| 3-2
| W
| Chris Wondolowski
| 3
| MLS
| 2010-10-20
| H
| Chivas USA
| 3-0
| W
| Chris Wondolowski
| 3
|
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC
| MLS | 2010-09-18 | A | Columbus | 4-0 | W | Blaise Nkufo | 3 |
TAMPA BAY MUTINY
| MLS | 1996-08-03 | H | Colorado | 3-1 | W | Roy Lassiter | 3 | | MLS | 1998-05-10 | A | New England | 3-4 | L | Musa Shannon | 3 | | MLS | 2000-08-16 | H | New York | 4-3 | W | Mamadou Diallo | 3 | | MLS | 2000-08-30 | A | Columbus | 4-3 | W | Mamadou Diallo | 3 | | MLS | 2001-05-09 | H | Los Angeles | 4-4 | D | Mamadou Diallo | 4 |
TORONTO FC
| CAN | 2009-06-18 | A | Montreal | 6-1 | W | Dwayne De Rosario | 3 |
Labels: goalscoring records, hat tricks |
