CHICAGO — Cam Atkinson scored twice in Columbus’ four-goal first period and added an empty-net goal in the final minute for his second career hat trick to help the Blue Jackets win their fifth straight game, 5-2 over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night.
Ryan Johansen and Kevin Connauton also connected for the Blue Jackets. They set a team record with their seventh consecutive road victory and have won eight of nine overall.
Brandon Saad and Jonathan Toews scored for Chicago, which dropped its second straight.
Columbus’ Sergei Bobrovsky made 31 saves.
Chicago goalie Corey Crawford was pulled with 3:14 left in the first period after allowing four goals on 13 shots. Scott Darling finished, and stopped all 13 shots he faced.
The Blue Jackets jumped on Chicago mistakes in a loosely played first period to build a 4-2 lead.
Chicago’s Duncan Keith, winner of the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenceman last season, committed two turnovers that led directly to two of the Blue Jackets’ goals and was a minus-3 in the period.
Saad opened the scoring on Chicago’s first shot, a drive from left wing, 3:26 in. But Johansen tied it at 1 just 41 seconds later on a breakaway after Keith couldn’t handle the puck at the right point.
Atkinson’s first goal, fired from the right point, deflected in off Crawford’s shoulder at 9:24 to put Columbus head 2-1. Then Toews tied it 2-2 just over 2 minutes later when he cut through the slot and deflected Johnny Oduya’s shot from the left point past Bobrovsky.
Connauton put Columbus ahead 3-2 with 6:57 left in the first on a screened shot from the left point. Keith’s failed clearing attempt off the boards landed back on Connauton’s stick after he had taken an initial shot from same spot moments earlier.
Atkinson’s second goal, a short-handed score on a breakway 2:43 later, upped it to 4-2 and chased Crawford from the game.
Atkinson slipped behind the Chicago defence, took a long pass up the middle from Cody Goloubef, burst in alone and beat Crawford with a nifty move.
Keith fired a shot off the right post with 5 seconds left in the scoreless second period.
Neither team had many chances in the scoreless third. Atkinson completed his hat trick when he slid the puck into an empty net with 59 second left and Darling on the bench for an extra attacker.
NOTES: Blue Jackets C Brandon Dubinksy returned after missing four games with an upper-body injury. … Columbus RW Jared Boll served the first game of a three-game suspension for an illegal hit to the head of Anaheim’s Patrick Maroon on Tuesday. … Blackhawks fourth-line forwards Joakim Nordstrom and Daniel Carcillo sat out with upper-body injuries. … F Vince Hinostroza, who signed with the Blackhawks last week after leading the Notre Dame in scoring as a sophomore, met with media during the game.
