COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Scott Hartnell had his ninth career hat trick and the Blue Jackets scored four times in a head-spinning third-period flurry to blow out the Pittsburgh Penguins 7-1 Thursday night.
Cam Atkinson, William Karlsson, Brandon Saad and Boone Jenner also scored to help the Blue Jackets win their 11th straight game and take over first place in the Metropolitan Division.
The CBJ is tied with Chicago for the most points in the league with 48.
Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 25 shots for Columbus (22-5-4) amid a rollicking playoff atmosphere and a sell-out crowd at Nationwide Arena.
Sidney Crosby scored Pittsburgh’s only goal — his NHL-leading 23rd — in a fast, testy game marked by several skirmishes and players being pulled apart. Matthew Murray had 21 saves for Pittsburgh (21-8-5), which failed to earn a point for the first time in 11 games. The loss matched the Penguins’ worst of the season.