On a three game win streak, Toronto finds themselves in a home matchup against one of the hotter teams in the NHL, the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Out of the gate, the Leafs were playing puck heavy hockey with a ton of chances that couldn’t find the back of the net. The Columbus goaltender made some great saves throughout the night and really battled for the win. The Blue Jackets are 7-1-1 in their last nine games.

Quite early in the first period, the game froze and Ryan Reaves dropped the gloves to fight Mathieu Olivier. It was Reaves’ first fight of the season, and it was a hard hitting duel indeed with no man coming out on top.

Adam Fantilli, product of Nobleton, Ontario, scored a hat-trick in the game against the Maple Leafs, one being an empty-netter and another being short handed. Luca Del Bel Belluz, a Woodbridge, Ontario native, scored a goal and an assist for a two point effort in the win.

The Blue Jackets opened the scoring when Adam Fantilli scored his first career short-handed goal on a shot from the left circle at 15:40 of the opening period.

Former Leaf James Van Riemsdyk scored just over halfway through the second period with an assist from rookie and former Mississauga Steelhead Luca Del Bel Belluz. Belluz scored later in the game with an unassisted goal from the edge of the crease.

Just under halfway through the first period, the Leafs finally found the back of the net. William Nylander found Auston Matthews’ stick just with enough space to tip the puck in between Merzlikins’ five-hole for the Leafs first (and only) goal of the night.

Adam Fantilli would score on the empty net not long after, and that would seal the deal for the Maple Leafs, and hand the Columbus Blue Jackets their 23rd win of the season, good enough for 4th in the Metropolitan division.