COLUMBUS, Ohio – Jeff Carter had three goals — two on the power play during Columbus' four-goal first period — and the last-place Blue Jackets handed the San Jose Sharks their season-high fourth straight loss, 6-3 on Tuesday night.
R.J. Umberger and Rick Nash, who is the subject of trade rumors with the deadline less than a week away, had a goal and an assist. David Savard also scored for Columbus. Vinny Prospal added three assists while Derick Brassard had two.
Steve Mason made 38 saves to get the win and surpass Marc Denis as the Blue Jackets' career wins leader.
Logan Couture scored twice and Joe Thornton also had a goal for San Jose. Starting goalie Antti Niemi was pulled after allowing three goals on 11 shots.
The Sharks fell to 1-4-1 on their season-long, nine-game road trip.
Carter scored his 15th goal of the season and the third of the game for his second hat trick of the season at 1:26 of the third to give Columbus a 6-2 lead.
Couture scored his team-leading 27th goal on a redirection on a power play to make it 6-3 at 8:35 of the third.
Then just 13 seconds later, the Sharks thought they pulled closer when Jamie McGinn batted in another high puck that went into the air behind Mason.
But the play went to video review and it was ruled the puck was hit when it was above the crossbar and the goal was disallowed.
Columbus started strong, scoring twice in the first seven minutes. The Blue Jackets then made it 3-0 that ended Niemi's night and added one more with 30 seconds left in the period. Niemi was replaced by Thomas Greiss, who stopped 21 of 24 shots.
Umberger opened the scoring as he stuffed in his own rebound for his 10th of the season at 4:55.
Carter made it 2-0 at 6:51 on the power play with a shot from the high slot past Niemi after a nice give and go passing play with Prospal.
Then Nash curled out of the right corner, and scored on a wrister from between the circles for his 20th at 15:18, sending Niemi to the bench.
On the fourth goal, the puck skidded off two San Jose players to Carter, who with his back to the net, redirected it past Greiss at 19:30 on another man advantage.
The Sharks scored twice in a 26-second span early in the second period to cut the deficit in half.
Thornton scored his 13th of the season at 5:11 to make 4-1.
Couture then took a pass into the zone from Michal Handzus and ripped a shot from the left dot over Mason's glove at 5:37.
But the momentum was short-lived because two minutes later, Ryan Clowe was assessed a double minor — one penalty for a cross check, the other for unsportsmanlike conduct when he slammed the penalty box door.
Savard sent a one-timer from the left point that hit another skate in traffic at 10:59 to make it 5-2.
NOTES: With the trade deadline less than a week away, scouts for the New York Rangers, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Ottawa, Pittsburgh, Montreal, Phoenix and Detroit watched from the press box. ... Columbus' four-goal, first-period outburst was one short of tying the franchise record, set March 15, 2003, in the first period of a 5-0 win over visiting Minnesota. ... Columbus D Nikita Nikitin, playing his first game after missing 12 with a knee injury, picked up an assist on Savard's goal. ... Blue Jackets C Antoine Vermette played in his 600th career game and Carter played in his 500th. ... The Sharks have allowed six goals — a season high — in two of their past four games.
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