National Hockey League
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Columbus 5, Toronto 0
When: 7:30 PM ET, Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Where: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Referees: Frederic L'Ecuyer, Dave Lewis
Linesmen: Trent Knorr, Ryan Galloway
Attendance: 15631

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Five different players scored goals, 12 players had points and the Columbus Blue Jackets scored three first-period goals en route to a 5-0 rout of the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday in Nationwide Arena.

The Blue Jackets (40-35-5) improved to 14-2-1 since April 6 and moved five games over .500 for the first time all season.

Center Artem Anisimov, left winger Boone Jenner, left winger Scott Hartnell, defenseman Ryan Murray and right winger Jeremy Morin each scored goals for the Blue Jackets, who reached 40 wins for only the third time in the franchise's 15-season history.

Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 35 saves for his second shutout of the season and 11th of his career.

The Leafs? Well, they've been in a freefall since mid-December, and they are 3-9- in their last 12 after the loss. Toronto has been shut out nine times this season.

Maple Leafs goaltender James Reimer made it only 3 ½ minutes deep into the second period – he stopped 16 of 20 shots – before getting the hook in favor of Jonathan Bernier. Bernier finished with 12 saves on 13 shots.

The Blue Jackets scored three times in the span of 5:09 in the first period to grab control of the game.

Anisimov skated into a perfect set-up pass from center Brandon Dubinsky in the slot and beat Reimer with a slapshot under the crossbar to make it 1-0.

Only 2:06 later, it was 2-0 when Jenner scored off a set-up from behind the net by Blue Jackets center Ryan Johansen.

The Jackets made it 3-0 with a minute remaining in the first when Hartnell wired the puck through Reimer and the near post off the rush.

Murray's first goal in more than a year – he's played only 11 games this season because of knee and ankle injuries – made it 4-0 on the power play at 3:30.

Finally, the fourth line got into the act. Morin scored off an innocent-looking wrister from the blue line, the puck sailing over Bernier's right pad before he could react.

By the mid-point of the third period, the Blue Jackets' focus shifted to getting Bobrovsky his first shutout in 29 games.

Toronto fell to 8-27-6 on the road this season. The Leafs have been outscored 83-32 in their last 25 road games.

NOTES: Blue Jackets D Ryan Murray, who has played in only 10 games this season because of long-term knee and ankle injuries, returned to the lineup ... Toronto D Tim Erixon has played in Nationwide Arena wearing three different sweaters this season. Erixon was traded by the Blue Jackets to Chicago for RW Jeremy Morin on Dec. 14, then claimed on waivers by the Maple Leafs on March 1. ... Blue Jackets D Fedor Tyutin missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury. ... Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards went into Wednesday night's game with 124 wins behind the Columbus bench, one short of matching Ken Hitchcock for the franchise mark.
Top Game Performances
 
Toronto   Columbus
N/A Points Scott Hartnell 2
N/A Goals Scott Hartnell 1
N/A Assists Brandon Dubinsky 2
N/A Power Play Goals Ryan Murray 1
N/A Short Handed Goals N/A
Jonathan Bernier .923 Save Percentage Sergei Bobrovsky 1.000
James Reimer 16 Saves Sergei Bobrovsky 35
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Shots Goals Power Play Penalty Kill Penalty Mins Face Offs Won
Toronto 35 0 0-4 1-2 4 29
Columbus 33 5 1-2 4-4 8 28
Upcoming Games
  • Columbus will play their next game at home against Buffalo. The Blue Jackets have a W/L % of .600 after a win and .400 after a loss.
  • Toronto will play their next game at home against Montreal. The Maple Leafs have a W/L % of .452 after a win and .320 after a loss.