National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Columbus 5, Anaheim 3
When: 7:00 PM ET, Tuesday, March 24, 2015
Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Referees: Greg Kimmerly, Tim Peel
Linesmen: Darren Gibbs, Steve Miller
Attendance: 14044

Blue Jackets 5, Ducks 3: Scott Hartnell recorded his eighth career hat trick as host Columbus skated to its fourth straight win and seventh in eight games.

Ryan Johansen collected a goal and an assist for the Blue Jackets, who gained a split of the two-game season series with Anaheim. Nick Foligno also tallied and Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 37 saves in the victory.

Ryan Kesler scored a power-play goal while Andrew Cogliano and Matt Beleskey also tallied for the Ducks, who have followed a four-game winning streak by dropping the first two contests of their five-game road trip. John Gibson turned aside 22 shots as Anaheim fell one point behind Montreal in the race for the Presidents' Trophy.

After Beleskey lifted a backhand shot over Bobrovsky midway into the second period to give the Ducks a 3-2 edge, Hartnell forged a tie just 32 seconds later with his second tally of the game. The veteran wired a wrist shot from the right faceoff circle past Gibson, and Foligno's one-timer from the slot 71 seconds afterward gave Columbus its first lead before Hartnell's empty-net goal sealed the win.

Kesler chipped a loose puck over a fallen Bobrovsky 6:11 into the first period to open the scoring before Cogliano used his considerable speed to breeze through the neutral zone and past Columbus defensemen Kevin Connauton and Cody Goloubef before backhanding the puck past the netminder. Johansen fed Hartnell at the left doorstep during a power play with 4:25 left in the first to halve the deficit and tallied at 7:41 of the second to forge a tie.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Hartnell's hat trick was Columbus' first since RW Cam Atkinson accomplished the feat on April 5, 2012. ... Anaheim D James Wisniewski logged a team-high 22:54 of ice time in his first meeting with the Blue Jackets since being dealt prior to the trade deadline. He blew a kiss and waved to the crowd after a nice ovation following a video tribute in the first period. ... Johansen's two-point performance gave him 63 for the season, matching his career-high total from 2013-14.
Top Game Performances
 
Anaheim   Columbus
Matt Beleskey 1 Points Scott Hartnell 3
Matt Beleskey 1 Goals Scott Hartnell 3
Kyle Palmieri 1 Assists Cam Atkinson 2
Ryan Kesler 1 Power Play Goals Scott Hartnell 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
John Gibson .846 Save Percentage Sergei Bobrovsky .925
John Gibson 22 Saves Sergei Bobrovsky 37
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Anaheim 40 3 1-5 2-3 18 35
Columbus 27 5 1-3 4-5 22 38
Upcoming Games
  • Columbus will play their next game on the road against Chicago. The Blue Jackets have a W/L % of .559 after a win and .385 after a loss.
  • Anaheim will play their next game on the road against Boston. The Ducks have a W/L % of .638 after a win and .571 after a loss.