The Columbus Blue Jackets were looking to bounce back from a listless performance against Minnesota Saturday. They faced off with the Toronto Maple Leafs Tuesday, the one day this season when all 32 NHL teams were in action, aka “Frozen Frenzy”. The Blue Jackets scored the first five goals of the game en route to a 6-2 win over the Leafs at Nationwide Arena.

James van Riemsdyk got Columbus on the board just 5:29 into the game. Ivan Provorov carried the puck to the edge of the left circle and wristed a shot that was blocked by Toronto goalie Dennis Hildeby but the rebound came down in the front of the crease where van Riemsdyk was camped out. He moved it to his backhand and flipped it into the goal.

The next CBJ goal came less than two minutes later when Zach Werenski stole a pass in the neutral zone and found Justin Danforth moving down the right side. Danforth shot from the right circle, beating Hildeby under his pads. It was Danforth’s first goal of the season.

With 7:18 left in the first period, the Blue Jackets scored their third goal. Danforth made a great exit pass out of the Toronto zone that created a two-on-one chance for Columbus. With Zach Aston-Reese to his right, Mathieu Olivier drove down the left side and fired a shot past Hildeby.

With five and a half minutes gone in the second period, the Blue Jackets added their fourth goal. Zach Werenski found Kirill Marchenko entering the right side of the Leafs zone. Marchenko fired a shot from the right face-off dot that hit Hildeby’s blocker and went to the left circle. Sean Monahan picked up the puck as he worked down the left side and buried the rebound.

The fifth straight Columbus goal came six minutes later in a sequence that started when Olivier kept the puck from leaving the Toronto zone. His shot from the blue line was knocked away but picked up by Aston-Reece who circled behind the Leafs’ net. As he came around the post, he fed Olivier who had come down to the crease. Olivier chipped it into the half-open net. It was his third goal of the season.

Olivier, who has been known as the Blue Jackets’ tough guy, has worked hard to develop the other parts of his game since arriving in Columbus.  This summer, he worked on his offensive game and has produced on the scoresheet, first in pre-season games and now as the regular season has begun.

“Obviously, people have their own opinions of what kind of hockey player I am and that’s fine,” Olivier said after the game. “I think, personally, you always have to believe that you have more and that you can continue to build your game.”

Toronto got on the scoreboard as time was winding down in the second when Matthew Knies scooped up a turnover near the Columbus net. His momentum carried him into the slot where he turned and sent one past Columbus goaltender Daniil Tarasov.

The Jackets’ final goal came with 9:02 left in the game. Monahan brought the puck into the Leafs’ zone, stopped near the right boards, and spun to make a pass to a wide open Marchenko. Marchenko hit a laser past Hildeby. It was his third goal of the young season. It was Monahan’s fourth helper.

The Maple Leafs scored one more. With 6:57 left in the game, Nicholas chipped in a carom off a John Tavares shot. The Blue Jackets scored six goals for the third time in six games. Tarasov, picked up his third save, making 26 saves in 28 tries, a save percentage of 92.9. The Jackets evened their record at 3-3-0.

Columbus gets a few days off. Next up are the Predators in Nashville Saturday. Always a tough venue for the Blue Jackets, the puck will drop at Bridgestone Arena at 8:00 p.m.