Fischer nets hat trick to lift Coyotes over Blue Jackets 4-1

Christian Fischer got his first career hat trick, Darcy Kuemper stopped 35 shots and the Arizona Coyotes rallied to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-1 on Tuesday night.

Fischer scored in all three periods to help the Coyotes beat Columbus for the first time in the last seven tries dating to 2015. Derek Stepan got the primary assist on all three.

Dylan Strome also scored for Arizona as backup Kuemper got his first win of the season in two starts.

Arizona Coyotes' Christian Fischer, left, celebrates his goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the third period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. The Coyotes beat the Blue Jackets 4-1. (AP PhotoJay LaPrete)

Pierre Luc-Dubois scored and Sergei Bobrovsky had 22 saves in what was mostly a lackluster game for the Blue Jackets, even though they had 10 more shots on goal.

Dubois got credit for a goal 31 seconds into the game when he shot wide, then skated in to knock the puck out from behind the net. It ricocheted off Clayton Keller's skate and trickled in as Kuemper leaned the other way.

It was one of the few mistakes the Arizona goalie made.

Arizona Coyotes' Dylan Strome, left, carries the puck across the blue line as Columbus Blue Jackets' David Savard defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP PhotoJay LaPrete)

Fischer tied it 7:08 in with a one-timer. Strome made it 2-1 later in the first when he tipped in a shot from just outside the blue paint on a power play.

Fischer got his second 29 seconds into the second period on a rush with another pretty feed from Stepan. He beat Bobrovsky again 4:44 into the third, shortly after Columbus came up empty on its third power play.

Columbus defenseman Seth Jones made his season debut after spraining a medial collateral ligament in his right knee on Sept. 25. He was expected to miss up to six weeks but made it back in less than a month. He logged four shots on goal.

Arizona Coyotes' Kevin Connauton, right, carries the puck up ice as Columbus Blue Jackets' Anthony Duclair defends during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP PhotoJay LaPrete)

NOTES: F Alex Galchenyuk made his season debut for the Coyotes. He was injured in a preseason game against the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 18. ... Dubois' goal was the quickest in a game this season for the Blue Jackets. ... Columbus F Artemi Panarin was dropped to the second line late in the first period and Nick Foligno moved up.

UP NEXT

Coyotes: Hosts Vancouver on Thursday night.

Columbus Blue Jackets' Markus Nutivaara, left, of Finland, and Arizona Coyotes' Josh Archibald chase a loose puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP PhotoJay LaPrete)

Blue Jackets: At St. Louis on Thursday night.

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Columbus Blue Jackets' Boone Jenner, left, and Arizona Coyotes' Niklas Hjalmarsson, of Sweden, fight for a loose puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP PhotoJay LaPrete)

Arizona Coyotes' Jordan Oesterle, left, and Columbus Blue Jackets' Pierre-Luc Dubois fight for a loose puck during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP PhotoJay LaPrete)

Arizona Coyotes' Darcy Kuemper, front, makes a save as teammate Oliver Ekman-Larsson, center, of Sweden, and Columbus Blue Jackets' Cam Atkinson, left, and Pierre-Luc Dubois look for the rebound during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP PhotoJay LaPrete)

Arizona Coyotes' Kevin Connauton, right, checks Columbus Blue Jackets' Anthony Duclair during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Oct. 23, 2018, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP PhotoJay LaPrete)