The Los Angeles Galaxy benefited from the star’s three-goal performance twelve years ago, today.

This year, the Los Angeles Galaxy sure do miss a player like Mike Magee. Between the team’s first two games, the defending champions have scored just one goal.

Twelve years ago today, Magee tripled that against a team he would eventually play for, the Chicago Fire. His three-goal performance not only help propel the LA Galaxy to victory on opening day but it helped earn the attacking midfielder Player of the Month honors during March 2013.

Robbie Keane’s score at the 80th minute would have been enough for the LA Galaxy in this one as they would go on to win 4-0.

Magee found the back of the net at the 38th minute. Teammate Todd Tunivant was credited with the assist. Keane’s through ball led to Magee’s second goal at the 68th minute before he would score a third time less than ten minutes later (74th minute).

How did the rest of the season pan out for the Los Angeles Galaxy?

That season, the LA Galaxy started their first seven games by going 4-2-1 only dropping their April 13 match on the road to FC Dallas. By mid-May, Magee was traded to the Chicago Fire for defender Robbie Rogers.

The 2013 MLS season ended shortly sooner than the Galaxy would have hoped for. After winning back-to-back championships, Keane and the rest of his team were ousted by Real Salt Lake, again. This time they lost in the quarterfinals as opposed to the MLS Cup Finals in 2009.

Even to this day, Magee’s hat trick remains one of the Galaxy’s greatest opening game moments ever in team or league history.