Sillinger hat trick helps Blue Jackets defeat Golden Knights

COLUMBUS --Cole Sillinger scored his first NHL hat trick when the Columbus Blue Jackets defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 6-4 at Nationwide Arena on Sunday.

The rookie forward (18 years, 301 days) became the second-youngest player in Blue Jackets history with a hat trick, behind Nikita Filatov (18 years, 230 days) on Jan. 10, 2009. He played his 57th NHL game.
Sillinger, the youngest player in the NHL this season, scored his second and third goals 1:50 apart for a 5-2 lead in the second period. He has scored 11 this season.
"It didn't really feel real, and then kind of going forward in the second period there, I was kind of, not really zoned out, but just like, oh my God, what just happened?" Sillinger said. "Pretty cool."

Oliver Bjorkstrand had a goal and three assists, Max Domi had two assists, and Elvis Merzlikins made 23 saves for the Blue Jackets (30-27-3), who had lost four of five.
Jonathan Marchessault had a goal and an assist, and Logan Thompson made 32 saves for the Golden Knights (32-25-4), who have lost four straight.
"Same old story," Vegas center Chandler Stephenson said. "Until we can figure it out, it's a good enough reality check. Guys should be woken up by now."
Patrik Laine put Columbus ahead 1-0 on the power play at 2:12 of the first period, scoring with a one-timer from a low angle in the left face-off circle.

Marchessault tied it 1-1 at 3:13 from the right circle.
William Carrier gave Vegas a 2-1 lead at 7:23 when he deflected a Nicolas Roy shot.
Sillinger tied it 2-2 at 11:53 with a one-timer off a pass from Bjorkstrand, and Bjorkstrand put Columbus in front 3-2 at 12:23 from the high slot.
Sillinger tipped a Bjorkstrand shot to make it 4-2 at 5:36 of the second.
"I just kind of went to put my stick out and it hit my stick there," Sillinger said. "So fortunate for a lucky bounce."
Sillinger completed the hat trick and made it 5-2 at 7:26, converting a pass from linemate Domi on the rush.
"Obviously, the Sillinger line there, they were feeling it tonight," Blue Jackets coach Brad Larsen said. "The guys just keep pushing, they just keep pushing and playing hard. You know that's a desperate team we were playing. We knew where they were at. We talked about it. They need these points bad, so you better be focused and ready."
With center Boone Jenner (back) and forward Jakub Voracek (knee) out after each sustained an injury during a 3-2 shootout win against the Minnesota Wild on Friday, Sillinger was given a chance to earn more minutes. He played 16:58, his most ice time in 12 games.
"He's got a tremendous upside on his offensive game," Larsen said. "We always forget he's 18. At least, I think some people do. And he's going through the grind of a season. He's a kid that sees an opportunity. You know, some guys when they see these opportunities, they get excited. And it's amazing what some guys can do. Some guys freeze. He doesn't seem to be that kid."
Sillinger became the fifth Blue Jackets rookie to score a hat trick and the first since Pierre-Luc Dubois in 2017-18.
"That's special," Domi said of Sillinger. "He's such a good kid. He's so humble, he works so hard."
Evgenii Dadonov pulled the Golden Knights within 5-3 at 8:28 before Jack Eichel cut it to 5-4 on the power play at 2:40 of the third period.

Eric Robinson scored into an empty net with 11 seconds left for the 6-4 final.
The Golden Knights will end a five-game road trip at the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday.
"We're four games into this trip and I could argue we could have won every one of those games, but we found ways to lose and that's troubling," Vegas coach Peter DeBoer said. "There's urgency. We know the situation. We've got to stop the bleeding."
NOTES: Golden Knights forward Max Pacioretty was out with an undisclosed injury sustained during a 5-2 loss at the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday. … Vegas center Nolan Patrick (undisclosed) was activated from injured reserve and had three hits and a penalty in 11:06 of ice time. He missed 11 games. … Golden Knights defenseman Ben Hutton entered NHL COVID-19 protocol prior to the game. … Laine has scored 28 points (17 goals, 11 assists) in his past 20 games.