Upon retiring as the NHL's all-time leader in goals, points, and games played, Gordie Howe's colossal legacy is perhaps most remembered for a statistic he hardly ever recorded.

A goal, a fight, and an assist, in one game - known simply as the "Gordie Howe hat trick" - is one of hockey's most illustrious single-game performances.

Related: By the numbers: Looking back at Gordie Howe's incredible career

Skill and toughness - the two mainstays of Mr. Hockey's inimitable style of play - ironically only resulted in two Gordie Howe hat tricks throughout his career, one in 1953, and one in 1954.

Yet with 801 career goals, 1,049 assists, and 1,685 career penalty minutes in his NHL career, the title is only suitable for a legend like Howe.

There is no stat for Wayne Gretzky, nor Bobby Orr. Just for Howe, who patrolled the ice while feared for both his relentless physicality and his unprecedented knack for scoring.

The all-time leader in the unique statistic is Rick Tocchet, who recorded 18. Hall of Famer Brendan Shanahan and Brian Sutter are tied in second with 17.

The most recent came from San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Bruns on March 7, 2016.

As fights in the NHL continue to decline, the Gordie Howe hat trick has become an antique, but the accomplishment still garners notoriety and respect from peers, all because of No. 9.

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Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch understands what Gordie Howe meant to the organization and the league as a whole.

"Today is a sad day for the Detroit Red Wings and the entire hockey world as together we mourn the loss of one of the greatest hockey players of all time," Ilitch said in a statement Friday.

Howe died Friday morning at the age of 88.

"The Red Wings organization and the National Hockey League would not be what they are today without Gordie Howe. There is no nickname more fitting for him than 'Mr. Hockey,'" Ilitch said.

"He embodied on and off the ice what it meant to be both a Red Wing and a Detroiter. He was tough, skilled, and consistently earned success at the highest level. His achievements are numerous and his accomplishments immeasurable. It is truly a blessing to have had him both in our organization and our city for so many years. He will be deeply missed."

Howe played 25 seasons with the Red Wings, setting countless records. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972.

Related - By the numbers: Looking back at Gordie Howe's incredible career

"People that aren't even associated with the National Hockey League understand how important Gordie is to our country," Red Wings general manager and fellow Canadian Ken Holland said.

Howe played three seasons with the New England/Hartford Whalers in the WHA and NHL toward the end of his career from 1977-80.

"Gordie Howe was a true legend in every sense of the word, and we are proud that he and his sons are a part of our organization's history," Carolina Hurricanes general manager Ron Francis said in a statement.

"I was lucky to have the opportunity to take the ice with him during my time in Hartford, and his impact on our sport is immeasurable. The Carolina Hurricanes organization sends its deepest condolences to the Howe family and everyone affected by his loss."

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Gordie Howe's impact has touched everybody in the hockey community.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman weighed in on the loss of Howe, issuing a touching statement about Mr. Hockey on Friday:

"All hockey fans grieve the loss of the incomparable Gordie Howe.

"A remarkable athlete whose mastery of our sport was reflected by the longevity of his career and by his nickname, ‘Mr. Hockey,’ Gordie’s commitment to winning was matched only by his commitment to his teammates, to his friends, to the Red Wings, to the city of Detroit and - above all - to his family. His devotion to Colleen through her illness and the fact that he extended his playing days into a fifth decade so he could play with his sons are only two examples of that true priority in his life.

"Gordie’s greatness travels far beyond mere statistics; it echoes in the words of veneration spoken by countless players who joined him in the Hockey Hall of Fame and considered him their hero.

"Gordie’s toughness as a competitor on the ice was equaled only by his humor and humility away from it. No sport could have hoped for a greater, more-beloved ambassador."

NHLPA executive director Don Fehr also offered condolences Friday.

“With the passing of Gordie Howe, the game of hockey has lost an icon," Fehr said in a statement.

"Gordie, or ‘Mr. Hockey’ as he was known to legions of fans, was a true legend who had an immense impact on the game, the players who followed him and the fans who revered him. On behalf of the players and staff of the NHLPA, we join Howe's family, friends and fans on mourning his loss.”

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Here's a look at some of the most incredible numbers associated with hockey legend Gordie Howe, who passed away Friday at age 88:

• 1,767: The number of regular-season NHL games Howe played, a total that still stands as the most all-time. And as a further testament to his incredible longevity, he played 80 games in his final pro season with the World Hockey Associations's Hartford Whalers - as a 51-year-old.

• 6: Howe's Hart Memorial Trophy haul as the NHL's most valuable player. He finished no lower than third in the Hart voting an incredible 12 times, while adding six Art Ross Trophies as the league scoring leader. He also led the NHL in goals on five separate occasions.

• 17: The number Howe wore in his rookie season with the Red Wings in 1946-47. He switched to his iconic No. 9 the following season after fellow Hockey Hall of Fame member Roy Conacher was traded to the New York Rangers.

• 1,850: Howe's career NHL point total, fourth only to Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Jaromir Jagr. Howe produced just three 100-point seasons in his career, but all came after age 40: He had 103 points in his second-last season in Detroit, and posted 100- and 102-point years in Houston.

• 49-46-95: Howe's goal, assist, and point totals during the 1952-53 campaign. It stands as the best overall season of his career, as Howe swept the major awards for the second straight year, and added seven points in the playoffs en route to his second Stanley Cup title.

• 4: The number of 100-penalty-minute seasons produced by Howe, who wasn't afraid to mix it up when the occasion called for it. How finished his NHL career with 1,643 penalty minutes, and added another 399 in the WHA - despite not joining the now-defunct league until he was 45.

• 508: Speaking of the WHA, Howe's most impressive feat of all may have been racking up better than a point per game over 419 career regular-season games with the Aeros and Whalers franchises. Howe won WHA MVP honors in 1973-74, his first season in the league.

• 160: Howe's career point total in 157 NHL playoff contests. Howe finished as the playoff scoring leader six times, capped by an incredible stretch in which he racked up nine goals and 11 assists in just 11 games to lead the Red Wings to the 1954-55 Stanley Cup championship.

• 801: Howe's final regular-season goal tally, second only to Gretzky. Even more incredible: He reached that lofty mark without ever recording a 50-goal season. In comparison, the three players behind him - Jagr, Brett Hull, and Marcel Dionne - have combined for 14 50-goal seasons.

• 21: The number of times Howe landed on the NHL's first or second All-Star team; he finished as a first-team All-Star 12 times, while earning second-team honors an additional nine times. He only missed out on an All-Star berth four times in his NHL career.

• 69: The age at which Howe became the oldest person in history to suit up for a professional hockey game. Howe played one shift in 1997 for the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League. He wasn't exactly spry out there, but it was still a historic occasion for the sport.

• 6: The number of championships Howe claimed in his brilliant career: four with the Red Wings and two more with the WHA's Aeros. Those titles in Houston were of particular importance to Howe, who won them alongside his sons, Mark and Marty.

• 30: The number of years Howe reigned as the NHL's all-time points leader. Howe passed Maurice Richard during the 1959-60 season and was top dog until Oct. 15, 1989, when Gretzky scored against the Oilers in Edmonton for his record-breaking 1,851st career point.

• 1972: The year Howe was named to both the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Order of Canada, the country's highest citizen award. Howe was part of a loaded Class of '72 that included Montreal Canadiens legends Jean Beliveau and Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion.

• 20: The number of consecutive NHL seasons in which Howe finished as a top-five scorer - the longest such streak in league history. Howe was one of the most durable players over that stretch, missing just 20 games between the 1949-50 and 1968-69 seasons.

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A man bigger than the game he perfected.

In the wake of Gordie Howe's death Friday, here are some of the most iconic pictures of the pride of Floral, Saskatchewan.

Gordie and Mark Howe, 1980

Two Howes in the Hall.

Howe with a 12-year-old Wayne Gretzky.

1989 - Gretzky breaks Howe's scoring record.

1970 - Gordie and Bobby.

Howe after becoming second player to score 500 goals - March 14, 1962.

Watching his famous No. 9 rise to the rafters at Joe Louis Arena.

Lifetime Achievement Award - NHL Awards, June 2008

Howe and Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg - March 2016

Howe and the late Pat Quinn - 2013

Howe taking batting practice with the Detroit Tigers.

Facing off with the "Golden Jet," Bobby Hull.

Howe's final postgame interview - April 11, 1980

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The NHL lost a true icon Friday as Gordie Howe died at the age of 88.

Mr. Hockey is one of the most beloved players in the history of the game, and his enormous impact on the sport crosses generations.

Players, teams, and media alike paid tribute to Howe via social media.

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The hockey world lost one of its most beloved figures Friday morning with the death of Gordie Howe at 88.

The Hall of Famer, who earned the nickname Mr. Hockey, defined longevity in a career that spanned five decades.

Howe played 25 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings and retired in 1971, but returned to spend six campaigns in the WHA with the Houston Aeros and New England Whalers. He played his final NHL season with the Hartford Whalers in 1980.

He holds the NHL record with 1,767 games played, ranks second all time with 802 goals, and sits fourth in NHL history with 1,850 points.

Howe won the Stanley Cup four times, captured the Hart Trophy six times as the NHL's MVP, and won six Art Ross trophies as the league's leading scorer.

He was known for his scoring prowess and his physical style of play, becoming the namesake of the "Gordie Howe hat trick" - a goal, an assist, and a fight. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972, and his No. 9 hangs from the rafters at Joe Louis Arena.

Howe suffered a serious stroke in October 2014 and made a remarkable recovery after undergoing stem cell treatment shortly thereafter, attending a charity event in his home province of Saskatchewan in February 2015 and appearing at a pair of Red Wings home games.

The Red Wings helped him celebrate his 88th birthday in March.

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Five games in, and we finally have some intrigue in the Stanley Cup Final.

The San Jose Sharks staved off a furious Pittsburgh Penguins attack Thursday, living to fight another day and forcing Game 6 in California on Sunday night.

It may not have been the performance San Jose was searching for, being outshot 46-22, but it was certainly the end result they needed.

Here are three keys to the Sharks extending the series.

Martin Jones

In record-setting fashion, Jones stole the show. After making 44 saves, the 26-year-old became only the third goalie since 1987-88 to make 40-plus regulation saves in the Stanley Cup Final.

Additionally, Jones set a franchise record for regulation saves in the postseason, and made the most stops in a Stanley Cup elimination game since 1968.

Simply put, his performance was one for the history books, but the Sharks can't allow Jones to be under siege again if they want to force a Game 7. While Jones became the fourth netminder since 1990 to register multiple 40-save games in the Final, none of the previous three won the Cup.

Logan Couture

It's apt to say Couture is enjoying the spotlight.

For a team desperately in need of an offensive spark, it was Couture - the postseason points leader - who stepped up, delivering three points in the first period.

A secondary assist on Brent Burns' opener, a beautiful deflection goal of his own, and a silky pass to Melker Karlsson for the eventual game-winner yielded Couture's most impressive performance yet.

Couture has been San Jose's most involved forward throughout the entire series, and has built a seven-point cushion atop the points leaderboard with 29. He's scored five points in five games, without doubt carrying a silent offense on his back.

The lead

Finally, San Jose was ahead.

The Sharks jumped out to a lead 1:04 into Game 5, remarkably their first goal advantage of the series.

Although they relinquished an early 2-0 lead, they got it back, and held on for dear life. The Sharks lamented their lack of leads earlier in the series, and though it was a close call, learning they're capable of hanging on could pay dividends as they head home.

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Call it un-Finnished business.

Niklas Backstrom signed a one-year contract with HIFK Helsinki on Friday.

The veteran goaltender played four games for the Calgary Flames this season after being traded from the Minnesota Wild on deadline day.

He was the odd man out in Minnesota due to injury as well as the emergence of both Devan Dubnyk and Darcy Kuemper.

Backstrom left as the franchise's all-time leader in wins, shutouts, and games played at the goalie position.

The 38-year-old spent the first 10 years of his hockey career in his native Finland, playing parts of four campaigns with HIFK.

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