Laine has hat trick for Blue Jackets in win against Blackhawks

CHICAGO -- Patrik Laine had a hat trick to extend his point streak to eight games for the Columbus Blue Jackets in a 7-4 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Thursday.

Laine has scored 16 points (10 goals, six assists) during the streak.
"It's been a good streak so far," Laine said. "Obviously great that we're able to win games as a team. If I didn't have this streak going on and I'd be struggling and the team's winning, that's all that really matters. At the same time, it's nice to help out the guys and get some big points."
Boone Jenner had a goal and two assists, and Elvis Merzlikins made 28 saves for the Blue Jackets (24-23-1).
Seth Jones had an assist in a team-high 26:47 of ice time for the Blackhawks in his first game against his former team since the defenseman was acquired in a trade on July 23. Jones, who missed their game Jan. 11 in Columbus while in NHL COVID-19 protocol, scored 223 points (50 goals, 173 assists) in 381 games in six seasons with the Blue Jackets.
Ryan Carpenter and Philipp Kurashev each had a goal and an assist, and Arvid Soderblom made 30 saves in his third NHL game for the Blackhawks (18-25-7).
"We just had too many passengers at the start," Chicago coach Derek King said. "Guys were not ready to play and kind of easing their way into it and you can't do that when you have a young goalie in there. You have to be ready. We talked about it. You have to be ready when the puck drops, and we weren't, and the poor kid was left hanging out to dry. I mean, that's not very nice."

Laine made it 5-3 at 7:58 of the third period following a face-off before Alex DeBrincat cut it to 5-4 at 8:58 on a pass from Patrick Kane from behind the net. Kane's assist was his 719th to tie Denis Savard for second in Blackhawks history behind Stan Mikita (926).
"Obviously I played a lot of games and a lot of years here, but special player, special human being," Kane said of Savard. "It's pretty cool when you reach some of these milestones and you realize the names you're in company with. It's pretty special."
Oliver Bjorkstrand's rebound goal at 11:57 extended the lead to 6-4, and Laine scored an empty-net goal at 19:55 for the 7-4 final. It was Laine's ninth NHL hat trick and first with the Blue Jackets.
Jenner gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead on the power play at 6:58 of the first period on the rebound of a shot by Jakub Voracek. It was his 20th goal of the season.
Yegor Chinakhov made it 2-0 at 7:11 on a wrist shot after he received a pass in the left face-off circle from Gustav Nyquist.
Kurashev brought the Blackhawks within 2-1 at 10:24 when he scored on the power play in front on a pass from Dominik Kubalik.
Carpenter's first goal in 70 games tied it 2-2 at 14:21.
Max Domi gave the Blue Jackets a 3-2 lead at 16:55 on a wrist shot after Chinakhov picked up the puck at the Columbus blue line and banked a pass off the boards.
Laine scored nine seconds into the second period to make it 4-2. His shot from the right face-off circle eluded Soderblom and trickled over the goal line, which was confirmed following video review.
"I was just trying to get it on net, and I think it hit the side of the net," Laine said. "I still don't know how it ended up being a goal, but it seems like right now, shoot it on net and it finds its way in somehow."

MacKenzie Entwistle cut it to 4-3 at 18:02.
The Blue Jackets won four of five on their road trip. Their only loss was 6-2 to the Calgary Flames on Tuesday.
"I don't know if it was a test," Columbus coach Brad Larsen said. "I was just worried about the energy. I was exhausted today, just being honest. There's not many opportunities you get to take four of five on a road trip. I don't care who you are. That's a tough thing to do in the NHL. I was hoping it would give us some juice and be excited about that opportunity."
NOTES: Laine's goal was the fastest to begin a period in Blue Jackets history, one second faster than Rick Nash (Jan. 11, 2006), Cam Atkinson (March 28, 2013) and Jones (Dec. 6, 2018). … Laine has scored 302 points (166 goals, 136 assists). He is the third player from 2016 NHL Draft class to score 300 points, joining Auston Matthews (410 points: 232 goals, 178 assists) and Matthew Tkachuk (332 points: 133 goals, 199 assists). … Nyquist and defensemen Zach Werenski and Vladislav Gavrikov each had two assists for Columbus. … Domi had a goal and assist to give him 99 goals and 199 assists in the NHL. … Chicago defenseman Calvin de Haan had an assist, his 100th in the NHL. … The Blackhawks play the Dallas Stars in the second of back-to-back games Friday.