Maple Leafs' Winning Streak Ends with 5-1 Loss to Blue Jackets

The Columbus Blue Jackets ended the Toronto Maple Leafs' three-game winning streak with a dominant 5-1 victory, led by Adam Fantilli's hat-trick.

The New Jersey Devils and Columbus Blue Jackets stole the show on a relatively quiet night in the National Hockey League (NHL), with each team scoring five goals in convincing wins on Wednesday.

The tide of the game turned quickly in the second period, as Dawson Mercer scored just 84 seconds in to level the score. A couple of minutes later, Dougie Hamilton put the Devils in front on a power play, giving them a 2-1 lead. The Devils continued to press their advantage, and a pair of goals 12 seconds apart - first by Stefan Noesen, then by Mercer again - gave New Jersey a commanding 4-1 lead by the end of the period.

The Bruins attempted to mount a comeback in the third period, making a goaltender change in an effort to spark their offense. However, they were unable to muster much momentum, managing only 10 shots in the final period and failing to score. Nico Hischier added a fifth goal for the Devils with 6:28 left in the game, securing the win and ending New Jersey's four-game losing streak. The victory kept the Devils in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, while the Bruins remained tied for the final playoff spot with the Ottawa Senators and Montreal Canadiens.

MAKE THAT 3️⃣ FOR FANTILLI!

Mo nets his first career hat trick! pic.twitter.com/oUvjsF5QJ2

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) January 23, 2025

The Columbus Blue Jackets ended their losing streak with a convincing 5-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Adam Fantilli got the Blue Jackets off to a strong start with a shorthanded goal 4:20 before the end of the first period. The momentum carried over into the second period, as James van Riemsdyk, a former Maple Leaf, doubled the Blue Jackets' advantage midway through the period. Fantilli added his second goal less than two minutes later, giving the Blue Jackets a commanding 3-0 lead.

Despite being outshot 48-29, the Blue Jackets' defense held strong, limiting the Maple Leafs' scoring opportunities. The Blue Jackets continued to press their advantage in the third period, with Luca Del Bel Belluz scoring six minutes in to make it 4-0. The Maple Leafs finally got on the board with 10:38 left in the game, as Auston Matthews scored to give them a glimmer of hope. However, Fantilli completed his hat-trick a few minutes later on an empty net, securing the 5-1 win for the Blue Jackets.

The win propelled the Blue Jackets into seventh place in the Eastern Conference, putting them back in a playoff spot. They will look to build on this momentum when they face the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night. The Maple Leafs, on the other hand, saw their three-game winning streak come to an end and remain second in the East. They will have some time to regroup before visiting the Ottawa Senators on Saturday.