Blue Jackets 5, Canadiens 2
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Cam Atkinson scored three goals and Brandon Saad had two as the Columbus Blue Jackets took the first game of a back-to-back against the Montreal Canadiens with a 5-2 victory on Monday night in Nationwide Arena.
Saad, a left winger, scored the go-ahead goal at 9:06 of the third period and added an empty-netter at 18:48. Atkinson, a right winger, capped the scoring with a goal in the final minute for the hat trick.
The Blue Jackets (18-27-5) and Canadiens (24-21-4) meet again Tuesday night in Montreal in their final game before the NHL All-Star Game.
Saad gave the Blue Jackets a 3-2 lead midway through the third period when he deflected a shot by defenseman Justin Falk from the left point past Canadiens goaltender Mike Condon at 9:06. Saad's two goals gave him 18 for the season.
Right winger Brendan Gallagher and defenseman P.K. Subban, who was a game-time decision because of illness, scored for the Canadiens.
Condon finished with 20 saves and Blue Jackets rookie goalie Joonas Korpisalo had 32.
The score was tied 2-2 after two periods.
Atkinson gave the Blue Jackets a 2-1 lead at 2:52 of the second period with his second goal of the game and 15th of the season. He took the puck off the boards and skated in front of the net before firing a sharp backhander past Condon.
Three minutes later, Atkinson nearly scored his third goal on a wraparound, but Condon smothered the puck before it crossed the goal line.
Subban made it 2-2 at 8:36 of the second period with his fourth goal of the season, sending a rocket shot from outside the blue line past Korpisalo. Subban drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the goal when he collided with Blue Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky while celebrating.
The Canadiens opened the scoring at 10:39 of the first period with a five-on-three goal by Gallagher. His shot was redirected off Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson past Korpisalo.
Columbus tied the score 1-1 four minutes later when Atkinson took a pass from Dubinsky and sent a low shot past Condon's left skate at 14:40 of the first period.
Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella missed his second consecutive game after breaking two ribs in a practice collision Friday with forward Rene Bourque. Associate coach Craig Hartsburg was behind the bench for a 3-2 shootout loss in Boston on Saturday night and again Monday night.
Tortorella is not expected to return until sometime after the NHL All-Star break.
"He's still hurting," Hartsburg said. "Obviously, it's tough. He's sore all over. He really can't be mobile at this point."
NOTES: Canadiens D P.K. Subban missed the morning skate because of illness but was active for the game. He has not missed a regular-season game in nearly three years. ... The Canadiens and Blue Jackets each have one game remaining before the NHL All-Star Game break. They face off again Tuesday night in Montreal. ... Both teams started backup goaltenders -- Montreal's Mike Condon and Columbus' Joonas Korpisalo -- in place of injured starters. Condon also started the last meeting between the teams on Dec. 1, a 2-1 win for the Canadiens. ... Blue Jackets LW Nick Foligno returned Saturday night against Boston after sitting out six games because of a concussion. ... Columbus G Sergei Bobrovsky (groin) missed his 45th game since the beginning of the 2013-14 season. A groin strain has sidelined him three times this season, but the latest one is not expected to be season-ending.