Victor Arvidsson completed his fourth career hat trick after scoring exactly four minutes into overtime to carry the visiting Los Angeles Kings to a 4-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday.
Columbus captain Boone Jenner appeared to win the game with a backhand shot at 2:04 of overtime, but officials deemed via video review that the Blue Jackets were offside on the play.
Given new life, Los Angeles ended the contest after Arvidsson elevated his backhand shot past Elvis Merzlikins (39 saves) on a breakaway. Arvidsson, who has 18 goals on the season, opened the scoring with six minutes remaining in the second period and then forged a 3-3 tie with 3:46 left in the third.
Dustin Brown also tallied and Jonathan Quick made 26 saves as the Kings snapped a modest two-game losing skid.
Columbus’ Patrik Laine, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Justin Danforth scored during a 46-second span in the second period.
The dizzying sequence resulted in the Blue Jackets’ fastest three goals scored in franchise history. Columbus’ previous record was set in 51 seconds during a 7-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 22, 2016.
After Arvidsson opened the scoring, Laine answered 94 seconds later for his 21st goal of the season and 15th in his last 14 games.
Laine’s goal seemed to ignite a fire under the Blue Jackets.
Sean Kuraly’s touch pass in the slot set up Bjorkstrand, whose wrist shot from the left circle beat an aggressive Quick for his 19th goal of the season and fourth in his last five games.
Danforth capped the flourish by converting his third shot from close range to give Columbus a 3-1 lead with 3:40 remaining in the second period. The goal was Danforth’s fifth of the season.
Brown halved the deficit at 3:49 of the third period after his wrist shot from the left-wing boards caromed off the glove of Merzlikins. Brown’s goal was his seventh of the season and first since Jan. 13.
–Field Level Media
