Reinhart hat trick leads Panthers over Blue Jackets 8-4
By NICOLE KRAFT
Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Sam Reinhart had his fifth career hat trick to lift the Florida Panthers over the Columbus Blue Jackets 8-4 for their fourth straight win. Mason Marchment had two goals and four assists for a career-high six points to help Columbus secure the top spot in the NHL standings heading into the All-Star break. Aleksander Barkov, Owen Tippett and MacKenzie Weegar also scored, and Reinhart added an assist. Anton Lundell had a career-high five assists. Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 32 shots for his 23rd win. Patrik Laine had two goals, and Gus Nyquist and Emil Bemstrom also scored for the Blue Jackets. Elvis Merzlikins gave up four goals on 11 first-period shots and made 11 stops in the second period before Joonas Korpisalo came in for the third period, stopping 13.