Adam Fantilli registered his first career hat trick and Elvis Merzlikins made 29 saves as the Columbus Blue Jackets thumped the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1 on Wednesday.
The Blue Jackets have points in eight of their last nine games and moved into the Eastern Conference's first wild-card spot with the victory.
The Leafs, who suffered 6-2 road loss to the Blue Jackets in October, saw a three-game winning streak snapped. Fantilli, a native of nearby Nobleton, Ont., with 70 family and friends in attendance at Scotiabank Arena, pushed Columbus ahead 3-0 in the second period with his second of the night. Del Bel Belluz — who's from Woodbridge, Ont., also just outside Toronto — put things to bed in the third when he made it 4-0. Matthews got a consolation goal for the home side before Fantilli completed his hat trick into then empty net with Hildeby on the bench for an extra attacker. left the game late in the second period following a big collision by the benches and didn't return.
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