Blue Jackets Trick Panthers

     Zach Werenski nailed a hat trick as the Columbus Blue Jackets took the Florida Panthers 4-1 at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday night. It was the last game for the Panthers this calendar year and this decade.
     The Florida Panthers began a four-game road trip which is their longest road swing since late October. The Blue Jackets increased their point streak to 11 games with a 7-0-4 record.
     In the first period, Columbus(18-14-8) leaped up to a 1-0 lead at 4:54. Werenski got the goal on a feed from Alexander Wennberg.
     Florida(20-14-5) evened it up 1-1 at the 3:39 mark. Mark Pysyk backhanded the puck from the right corner to Anton Stralman on the right point. His slap shot was redirected in by Colton Sceviour in the low slot past Elvis Merzlikins for his fourth goal of the year.
     A power-play goal helped for the Blue Jackets to regain the lead 2-1 with 4:26 left in the second. Boone Jenner powered his eighth goal of the campaign by former Blue Jacket Sergei Bobrovsky while Gustav Nyquist picked up the primary assist and Wennberg got his second assist in the contest.
     It became a 3-1 lead for Columbus at 4:13 of the third period. David Savard sent a cross-ice pass from the right circle to the left circle. Werenski snapped a shot through traffic for a two-goal margin.
     Werenski completed the hat trick with his 11th goal of the campaign at the 8:04 mark for a 4-1 lead. Nick Foligno cycled the puck around the right corner to Nyquist on the end wall. His centering pass went off the left skate of Mike Matherson to the high slot and Werenski scored on a wrist shot.