FINAL: Blue Jackets 4, Devils 1

The Blue Jackets wasted little time, scoring early and often on the way to their fourth straight win on Tuesday night, a 4-1 victory against visiting New Jersey (18-21-7) at Nationwide Arena. Columbus improved to 28-15-3 on the year and moved into a tie with Washington atop the Metropolian Division.
Game in a Paragraph
Columbus took a 4-0 lead less than 22 minutes into the game and shepherded it home without incident. Each member of the team's top line had a goal and an assist, the Jackets led 3-0 after one period, and Joonas Korpisalo made 29 saves to earn his third victory in the team's last four games.

Quote of the Night
Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella on the win: "We didn't go over any X's and O's before the game at all. We just talked about that we have improved as far as being consistently ready to play. Let's do it again."
CBJ Notables
Quick Recap
Leo Welsh had barely returned his microphone to its resting place by the time the Blue Jackets had a 2-0 lead.
Just 45 seconds into the game, the Jackets got on the board thanks to Atkinson, who cut to the net and redirected a pass from Pierre-Luc Dubois over the shoulder of Devils goalie Keith Kinkaid.

At 2:28, it was 2-0. Josh Anderson battled his way into a faceoff win, then fed Jenner, who had snuck into open ice in the slot. Jenner had time to pick his spot and fire past Kinkaid's blocker for his ninth goal of the year.
New Jersey then got its footing in the game, even going more than 10 minutes without allowing a CBJ shot on goal, before Columbus made it 3-0. With 2:40 left in the period, again off a faceoff, David Savard walked down the left-wing wall and spied Panarin cutting to the net, and the Russian forward's expert redirection got by Kinkaid for his 18th goal this year.
Moments after Korpisalo's biggest save of the night -- as he went left to right to stone Brian Boyle on the power play -- Columbus made it 4-0 with a goal just 1:45 into the second period. With Nick Foligno providing a screen in front on the power play, Dubois was given time at the top of the left circle and ripped a shot past Kinkaid's blocker side.
New Jersey got on the board with 1:36 left in the second on a goal by Blake Coleman, who netted his 17th goal of the year on a tip of a shot by Mirco Mueller past Korpisalo.
That was all the offense for the Devils, though, and Columbus got through the third period without incident to finish the win.
By the Numbers
Columbus has now scored at least four goals in 23 of 46 games. … Columbus scored three goals in the first period for the third time this year. … Dubois has assists in four straight games, a career high. … Columbus improved to 3-0 vs. New Jersey this year, has won six straight games vs. the Devils and is 14-4-0 in its last 18 games in the series. … John Tortorella coached his 285th game behind the CBJ bench, setting a new franchise high and breaking a tie with Ken Hitchcock. … The Blue Jackets are 12-3-1 in their last 16 games and won four straight at home while going 7-1-1 in its last nine vs. Metro foes. ... New Jersey was 0-2 on the power play, and Columbus has killed 37 of the last 40 opponent power plays. ... Columbus was 1-3 on the power play ... Kinkaid finished with 30 saves on 34 shots.
Roster Report
Columbus used the same lineup as it did Sunday vs. the New York Rangers, with defenseman Dean Kukan the lone scratch.
Up Next
The Blue Jackets complete a three-game homestand Friday night with a game against Montreal at 7 p.m. (Fox Sports Ohio, Fox Sports app, CD102.5).