Cam Atkinson had his third career hat trick and Brandon Saad scored twice Monday night as the host Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Montreal Canadiens 5-2 to end a three-game losing streak.
Atkinson’s linemates, Brandon Dubinsky and Boone Jenner, each had three assists.
“We worked hard,” Dubinsky said. “We worked to get pucks back. We were opportunistic. We buried some of our chances and that was the difference. They had a really strong push there — especially in the third period — and we weathered the storm.”
Columbus played a second straight game without head coach John Tortorella after he broke two ribs after a collision with a player at practice Friday.