Labatt Blue What We Learned: CBJ 5, NJD 3

Artemi Panarin might not be scoring a ton of goals, but he's sure finding ways to set them up for the Blue Jackets.
He didn't score a single goal Friday night at Prudential Center, but delivered the primary assist on all five Columbus scored in a 5-3 victory against the New Jersey Devils -- tying a franchise record for assists in a single game set by Espen Knutsen in 2001.
It was Panarin's season and NHL career high for assists in one game, and helped the Jackets split a key home-and-home this week with the Devils - who won 4-1 at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday.
"He's so skilled," said Zach Werenski, who scored the fifth goal late in the third to pad the lead. "We see it every day in practice. We see it every game. What'd he get, five assists tonight? That's insane. It's fun to watch him on the bench, up close and in person. He's such a good player."
Panarin's assists were all primary helpers, helping the Blue Jackets (18-10-1) overcome a 2-0 deficit after 20 minutes.
The goals were scored by rookie Pierre-Luc Dubois, Lukas Sedlak, Scott Harrington, Alex Wennberg and Werenski. Sergei Bobrovsky made 21 saves in the win, which ended a two-game skid and boosted the Blue Jackets back to first in the Metropolitan Division.
Here are six things we learned:

I: BREAD CRUMBS FOR ALL
Panarin is starting to set goals up like Patrick Kane often did for him in the Windy City.
He now has 18 assists for the season, to go with seven goals to extend his lead in the team scoring race to 25 points.
Panarin, who's on pace for 50 assists and 69 points, is also looking more like himself the past two weeks. The biggest difference between him now and the previous two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks is his playmaking ability, which is shining even brighter in Columbus.
He's no longer settling into the left circle a bunch looking for pucks to one-time past goalies. Now, he's using his vision, skating and stickhandling to set other guys up.
"Me and Seth Jones] were joking on the bench, at the end of the game, how he came here and everyone kept saying he's this shooter and he shoots the puck - and he can shoot the puck unbelievable - but in our eyes, he's one of the best passers we've seen," Werenski said. "It's awesome to have a guy like that on our team. He's just taking more responsibility with the puck, and it's definitely helping our team."
Prior to this performance, Panarin already had two prior three-assist games this season, starting with the Jackets' 5-0 rout of the New York Islanders in the season-opener at Nationwide Arena. He also had three assists against the Minnesota Wild on Oct. 14 at Xcel Energy Center.
This time, after Columbus fell behind 2-0 with a lackluster first period, Panarin sensed it was time to do something. ti change the game.
"No question about it," he said through an interpreter. "Yes, in the second period we knew that we had to step it up. We were able to score, and found confidence and everything got a little bit easier."
The last time a Blue Jackets player had more than three assists in a game was Oct. 23, 2014, when Scott Hartnell also did it -- also with four primary helpers. Panarin is the fourth Blue Jackets player to reach five points in a game.
So, yeah, the "Breadman" is starting to feel pretty cozy in Columbus. He even revealed a little of his humorous side with after the game, when told that his teammates couldn't believe he found them with some of his passes.
"They told me in intermissions they didn't see me at all," Panarin said. "But [Josh Anderson] got me with a knee in the head [during the game]. My brain got in the right place. I was able to find them."
**II: POWER'S ON?**
**[Video: CBJ@NJD: Panarin gets fourth assist on Wennberg's PPG
It was only one power-play goal, but Wennberg's tally just 1:32 into the third period was a start, and good things have to start somewhere. The Jackets, who've struggled all season on the power play, took it to the bank and took control of the game thanks to it.
Entering this game, they were 2-for-42 (8.6 percent) on power plays in their previous 15 games. This one was during their first of the game, and it made the Devils pay the price for Andy Greene's trip of rookie Pierre-Luc Dubois 20 seconds into the third.
They added a 4-on-4 goal later, when Werenski beat Corey Schneider with 4:58 left to play, but Panarin's backdoor feed to Wennberg -- settingup the power-play tally -- was a thing of beauty. Wennberg didn't miss short side, either, so nice play all around.
"Special teams are important, and to get this one today, it actually changed the game a little bit," Wennberg said. "It's something to build on."
III: TWO DROUGHTS OVER
Video: CBJ@NJD: Sedlak scores on a wrister from right circle
Columbus had two players end lengthy scoring droughts in this game.
The first was Lukas Sedlak, who hadn't scored since Oct. 17 in Winnipeg. Two games after he scored that one, Sedlak was injured in practice and missed the next 13 games. He hadn't scored in seven games since returning from that high-ankle sprain.
This one was set up by Panarin, who intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and quickly slid a pass to spring Sedlak for a solo rush up the right wing. His wrist shot hit Schneider's glove, bounced into the net and tied it 2-2.
The other drought that ended belonged to Wennberg, who hadn't scored since Oct. 14 against the Minnesota Wild at Xcel Energy Center. That's 17 games, which were separated by a five-game injury absence.
"I thought Wennberg] played a little bit more consistent," Blue Jackets coach John Tororella said. "I think he took a step in the right direction, as far as being hard on the puck a few times here tonight."I don't think [Sedlak's] played well. He's been told that he hasn't played well for the past few games. I thought he started getting physical, ends up with a great pass [from Panarin] and scores a goal. So, it's good we get some guys chipping in."
**IV: BACK ON TOP**
**[Video: CBJ@NJD: Harrington cashes in on Panarin's setup
Entering this game, things couldn't have been much tighter in the Metropolitan Division.
The Jackets, who moved back into the top spot with this win, were second and trailed the Devils by a point. They were also tied with three other teams: the Islanders, Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins. That's four teams with 35 points prior to Friday's games, with the Devils on top at 36.
The Capitals, like the Blue Jackets, won Friday night and are tied with Columbus in points (37). The New York Rangers, in sixth, have 32 points, just four off the lead. It's only 29 games into the season, but if this is any indication of how the rest of this season will go … buckle up, Buttercup.
"You try not to pay attention], but sometimes it's right there for you," Josh Anderson said the division race. "It makes it more competitive. It makes you want to win games more, and it goes to show you how good our division is."
Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, however, could care less this early in the season.
"I know the Metro is a very tough division, but to get caught up into … I heard someone say this is for first place in the Metro ... who cares?" he said afterward. "It is 30 games into the season. We have 52 left, so we're not going to get caught up in that. We're just trying to be the best team we can be."
V: BOB IS STILL BOB
[Video: CBJ@NJD: Bobrovsky fends off Bratt's one-timer
Sergei Bobrovsky hasn't been bad since returning to the net after a two-game hiatus for rest and individual work last week. He just hasn't looked a razor sharp as he'd been during the Blue Jackets' season-high, six-game winning streak (Nov. 11-24).
This game, he started to look like he was back in top form, especially with a great left pad save to keep Damon Severson off the board at 5:30 of the third period. It protected the Jackets' 4-3 lead a couple minutes after Wennberg put them in front.
Following a low shot by Taylor Hall from the left wing, the puck caromed straight to Severson, who was in front of a large open area in the net. He redirected the puck, but Bobrovsky, who didn't even appear to be looking, stopped it with his left pad - another highlight for "Bob."
VI: DUBOIS STRIKES BACK
Video: CBJ@NJD: Werenski scores to give Panarin five assists
The Devils really went all out for Star Wars Night.
They brought in character actors, who roamed the arena from start ti finish, including Darth Vader, a squadron of storm troopers and even a motorized, flashing, R2D2 robot. They also played a team-produced "Star Wars" movie trailer that lasted about two minutes, including the Blue Jackets' logo being placed on what looked like the Death Star.
Columbus was also represented on the scoreboard with a blue "dark-side" symbol that had the Blue Jackets' logo embedded in it. The Devils, of course, had "the force."
In the end, the dark side prevailed - led by Panarin and the Jackets' top line, which is centered by a "Luc" -- as in, Pierre-Luc Dubois. The 19-year old evened the score with fellow teenage rookie Nico Hischier, 18, who led the Devils to victory Tuesday in Columbus.
Dubois scored the Blue Jackets' first goal, eary in the second, and finished with a plus-2 plus/minus rating. Panarin had the five assists, finished with a plus-4 rating, while Anderson finisher with a plus-2. The rookie also blocked a shot in the third period, after turning the puck over in the defensive zone.
All in all, not too shabby.