The record will show that the Columbus Blue Jackets are leading their qualifying series against the Toronto Maple Leafs because Pierre-Luc Dubois took this series by the throat, put his team on his back and turned in a tour-de-force performance in Game 3. And that is as it should be. At the age of 22, Dubois is still finding his way, but performances like that – a hat trick, including the game-winner in overtime – clearly show he’s clutching a road map to stardom.
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But as much as Dubois can take credit for having the Maple Leafs on the brink of elimination Friday night, the player’s performance and the Blue Jackets’ ability to dig themselves out from a three-goal deficit represented another example of the genius of Columbus coach John Tortorella.