Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins reaches for the puck in front of Toronto Maple Leafs' Pontus Holmberg during second period action in Toronto on Jan. 22.Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press
Adam Fantilli registered his first career hat trick and Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves as the Columbus Blue Jackets thumped the Toronto Maple Leafs 5-1 on Wednesday.
Luca Del Bel Belluz, with a goal and an assist, and James van Riemsdyk provided the rest of the offence for Columbus (23-18-7).
The Blue Jackets have points in eight of their last nine games (7-1-1) and moved into the Eastern Conference’s first wild-card spot with the victory.
Auston Matthews replied for Toronto (30-17-2). Dennis Hildeby stopped 14 shots.
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.