TORONTO — Adam Fantilli achieved his first career hat trick, scoring three goals, while goaltender Elvis Merzlikins registered 28 saves, leading the Columbus Blue Jackets to a 5-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday evening.
Luca Del Bel Belluz contributed a goal and an assist, and James van Riemsdyk added another score for the Blue Jackets. With this win, Columbus climbed to an impressive 7-1-1 record over their last nine games, securing the first wild card position in the Eastern Conference.
Auston Matthews found the back of the net for the Maple Leafs, while Dennis Hildeby stopped 14 shots in goal. The defeat halted Toronto’s three-game winning streak.
Fantilli, who hails from Nobleton, Ontario, had approximately 70 family members and friends in the stands and extended Columbus’s lead to 3-0 with his second goal of the night, coming with 4:39 remaining in the second period.
Del Bel Belluz, another Ontario native from Woodbridge, scored at 5:56 in the third period to make it 4-0. Matthews then broke through with a goal for the Maple Leafs at 9:22, but Fantilli sealed his hat trick with an empty-net goal just shy of eight minutes left to play.
Injury notes included Merzlikins, who was seen nursing what appeared to be an injury during the morning skate but still turned in a solid performance against the Maple Leafs.
For Toronto, Matthew Knies (upper-body injury) exited the game late in the second period after a significant collision near the bench area and did not return.
A pivotal moment in the game occurred when Merzlikins made key saves against Matthews during the second period. Following those saves, van Riemsdyk and Fantilli scored just 1:41 apart, helping Columbus to a commanding lead.
Zach Werenski, a defenseman for the Blue Jackets, led the NHL in average ice time at 26:49 entering the game but logged 24:43 during this match.
Looking ahead, the Blue Jackets will head to Carolina on Thursday to conclude their four-game road trip, while the Maple Leafs will face off against the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.
