During last night’s Devils’ 5-3 defeat to the defending champion Blackhawks, Chicago forward Patrick Sharp recorded his second hat trick in five games. Nothing can stop the 32-year old lately. He’s been on a tear scoring 14 goals and seven assists over his last 13 games.

Now tied with Hart candidate Patrick Kane for first on the Hawks in goals (25), he is on pace for a career season. In nine seasons with Chicago, Sharp is a three-time 30-goal scorer notching a career best 36 in ’07-08. He’s scored at least 20 or better in seven of the last eight. Last year’s lockout shortened season was the exception with him netting just six in 28 games. However, he had 10 in the playoffs to help his team win a second Cup in four years.

“I don’t know numbers-wise,” Sharp said regarding the recent hot streak. “I think I’ve felt like this a few times in my career. It’s the result of the good players I’m out there with making good plays, and all the hard work you put in as an individual. It’s a good run for our team, it’s a good run for me, and hopefully we can keep it going.”

Making it extra special, he turned the trick against Devils legend Martin Brodeur. Sharp beat him once in the first with a laser top shelf and then added two more in a wild third that saw the teams combine for six goals. During a three-goal Hawks explosion, he scored from an almost impossible angle making it 4-1. But Marek Zidlicky tallied twice to pull the Newark hosts within 4-3. They came close to tying it before Sharp erased any doubt by breaking away from Jon Merrill and deking a sliding Brodeur who missed the poke check.

“It’s fun to play against a guy like Marty Brodeur, arguably the best goaltender of all-time,” he added. “You see guys like that on the ice, Jaromir Jagr as well, it’s crazy to line up against those guys.”

What makes Sharp’s story so special is that it didn’t happen right away. Selected by the Flyers in the third round of the ’01 Draft (95th overall), he spent two years with the University Of Vermont before turning pro in ’02-03. After spending a couple of seasons with the Phantoms, he debuted with Philadelphia during ’03-04 tallying five goals and two assists in 41 games. In the lockout year of ’04-05, he posted AHL bests in goals (23), assists (29) and points (52).

But after posting five goals and three helpers in 22 contests, the Flyers dealt him to the Hawks on Dec. 5, 2005. He was traded with Eric Meloche to Chicago for Matt Ellison and an ’06 third round selection (Ryan White). After finishing ’05-06 with nine goals and 14 assists totaling 23 points in 50 games with his new team, he followed it up by scoring 20 with 15 helpers for 35 points. That included three shorthanded goals. Moved into a higher role, he erupted for 36 goals, 26 assists, 62 points, a plus-23 rating with nine power play goals, seven shorthanded goals and seven game-winners. Quite a fantasy year.

You wonder why the Flyers gave up on him. Ellison played seven games for them and registered one assist. His NHL career totals are 43 games and 14 points. White was moved in draft pick swap in ’06 to Montreal for the rights to Jonathan Matsumoto and Jakub Kovar. Matsumoto never played for the Flyers and Kovar spent the past three seasons home in the Czech Republic and currently plays for Yekaterinburg Automobolist of the KHL.

It’s one of the most lopsided trades in recent memory. A Sharp attack that keeps haunting the Flyers.