COLUMBUS (AP) — Hours after trading disgruntled center Pierre-Luc Dubois, the Blue Jackets got three first-period goals and beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2.
Nick Foligno, Mikhail Grigorenko, Vladislav Gavrikov, Zach Werenski and Eric Robinson scored, and Elvis Merzlikins had 30 saves for the Blue Jackets.
Fifteen different Columbus players recorded points.
The Blue Jackets’ second victory in six games came shortly after Dubois, one of the team’s leading scorers, was sent to Winnipeg in exchange for Patrik Laine and Jack Roslovic in a deal announced early Saturday.
Dubois, Columbus’ top-line center, made it clear when he signed a two-year contract before the season that he wanted a change of scenery.
Coach John Tortorella had benched the young star for loafing in Thursday’s loss to Tampa Bay.
Laine is an All-Star winger in the second season of a two-year contract. The Finnish winger also had been asking for a trade. Laine has an upper-body injury and visa issues to work out. It’s not clear when he’ll be ready to play.