Kirill Marchenko’s third career hat trick and career-best four points sparked a big night for the Columbus Blue Jackets, who skated away with an 8-4 win over the visiting Nashville Predators on Tuesday.
The three-goal, one-assist night also allowed the Russian forward, 24, to post his first 30-goal season. Marchenko was one of seven players who recorded multiple points for the Blue Jackets (34-30-9, 77 points), who logged a third win in four games.
Sean Monahan had two power-play goals and two assists, and Adam Fantilli finished with two and an assist. Dante Fabbro posted a goal and an assist against the team that waived him in November. Kent Johnson recorded three assists, while Boone Jenner and Zach Werenski each assisted on a pair.
Columbus’ Elvis Merzlikins made 24 saves for his third straight win and first in regulation in a month.
Filip Forsberg, Michael Bunting, Justin Barron and Jordan Oesterle all scored and Luke Evangelista assisted on two for the Predators (27-40-8, 62 points), who took their fourth consecutive loss.
Juuse Saros gave up a season-high seven goals while making only 19 saves. He was pulled after the second period for Justus Annunen, who stopped 10 of 11 shots.
The Blue Jackets wasted no time in peppering Saros, putting four shots on him in the first 75 seconds. The last one beat the Nashville goalie as Marchenko extended his goal-scoring streak to four games.
Monahan’s two power-play goals marked just the third time this season that the team scored multiple times on the man advantage.
Columbus held leads of 3-0 and 4-1, but Bunting and Barron scored 43 seconds apart to make it a one-goal game at 6:26 of the second period.
The Blue Jackets responded with three in the final eight minutes of the period, and Fabbro’s tally made 7-3 with 19 seconds left.
Marchenko got the hat trick and his 31st goal of the season with 14:37 left in the game to make it 8-3.
Columbus had a chance to take over the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference, but the Montreal Canadiens beat the Florida Panthers 3-2 in overtime to remain two points ahead in the standings.
