Yegor Chinakhov scored in his fourth straight game, and Kirill Marchenko and Alexandre Texier scored for the Blue Jackets (10-17-5), who have lost five of seven. Daniil Tarasov made 24 saves in his season debut.
“We chased it all night,” Columbus coach Pascal Vincent said. “It's an offensive team, good transition. Their line of centers is one of the best of the best in the League. They're a good defensive team and with their skating, their offensive ability to make plays and their skating ability it makes it hard to play against when we have the puck, too, because they're transitioning and they're quick, too.”
Hughes gave New Jersey a 1-0 lead with his first goal 47 seconds into the first period. Johnny Gaudreau’s unforced giveaway was intercepted by Toffoli, who fed Hughes for the backhander.
“We talked a lot about getting off to better starts in the first period, to try to get the early goal,” Devils coach Lindy Ruff said. “For Jack to set the tone was important.”
Erik Haula made it 2-0 at 16:21, scoring off a backhand pass through the crease by Dawson Mercer.
Marchenko cut it to 2-1 with a power-play goal 17 seconds into the second period, one-timing a shot from the low slot off a pass by Gaudreau.
“We didn't play our best,” Gaudreau said. “Rough first there for me, to turn the puck over. We found a way to battle back to 3-1, 3-2. We just couldn’t catch them.”
Toffoli extended it to 3-1 at 50 seconds with a snap shot from between the circles before Chinakhov scored at 8:38 to make it 3-2.
Chinakhov has five goals in his past four games.
Hughes scored his 100th career goal at 14:54 on a 4-on-3 power play, one-timing a pass from Bratt in the right circle. It was his 267th NHL game.
“He’s really dynamic with cutbacks and his deception,” Ruff said of Bratt. “When he and Jack are together and have good matchups, they’re a really tough unit to hold at bay. He’s on top of his game.”
Hischier pushed it to 5-2 at 2:50 of the third period before Texier scored at 18:57 to make it 5-3 with Tarasov pulled for the extra skater.
NOTES: Hughes’ first goal was the fastest from the start of a game in his NHL career. His previous quickest was 54 seconds vs. the Blue Jackets on March 1, 2022. … His other hat trick was Nov. 26, 2022, vs. the Washington Capitals. …Ruff won his 850th NHL regular-season game as a head coach to pass Ken Hitchcock for fourth all-time. … Bratt has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) during a seven-game point streak. …Gaudreau’s assist was his 700th NHL point (236 goals, 464 assists) in 714 career games.
