Fantilli, Merzlikins power Blue Jackets over Leafs

TORONTO – 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.

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.

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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.

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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.

Takeaways

Leafs: Matthew Knies (upper-body injury) left the game late in the second period following a big collision by the benches and didn’t return.

Blue Jackets: Merzlikins appeared to suffer an injury during the morning skate, but was good to go against Toronto.

Key moment

Merzlikins made a couple of huge stops on Matthews in the middle period before van Riemsdyk and Fantilli scored one minute 41 seconds apart to put Columbus up 3-0.

Key stat

Blue Jackets defenceman Zach Werenski entered play leading the NHL in average ice time at 26:49. Utah Hockey blueliner Mikhail Sergachev (25:45) sat more than a minute back at No. 2.

Up next

Columbus concludes a four-game road-trip Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes. Toronto is off until Saturday’s visit to Ottawa to take on the Senators.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 22, 2025.