"With a smile on his face, Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash leaned back in his locker and took note of the odd scene around him.

The visitors dressing room in HP Pavilion has always been a quiet spot for the Blue Jackets to lament their losses to the San Jose Sharks - some of them heart-breakers, others blowouts.

But late Saturday, after Nash scored his fifth career hat trick to spur a 3-0 win, the room had volume and vibrancy.

"We're used to rushing out of here," Nash said, "everything being silent, everyone being really upset.

"This is a different feeling. It's a great feeling."

Nash, who almost didn't play Saturday because of a sore groin, was a monster on the three-game trip, scoring six goals in the three wins.

He has a five-game goal streak, an eight-game point streak (nine goals, three assists) and 12 goals on the season, tied for fourth in the NHL.

"As we've seen around the league, when pure goal-scorers get hot, they get really hot," Blue Jackets coach Scott Arniel said. "He has scored some great goals the last few games."

Nash's most recent hat trick had occurred March 7, 2009, in an 8-2 win at Detroit."