PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 15: Cam Atkinson #13 of the Columbus Blue Jackets celebrates his third period empty-net goal against the Philadelphia Flyers with his teammates on the bench on March 15, 2018 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The goal was his third of the game. The Blue Jackets went on to defeat the Flyers 5-3.

Atkinson's hat trick lifts Blue Jackets to 6th straight win

Len Redkoles / National Hockey League / Getty

The NHL's hottest team kept it going Thursday night, and Cam Atkinson was a major reason why.

He notched the fourth hat trick of his career as the Columbus Blue Jackets slid past the Philadelphia Flyers 5-3 in a key Metropolitan Division matchup.

Atkinson scored in the first period to give Columbus a 3-1 lead, buried the eventual game-winner that made it 4-2 in the second period, and added an empty-netter with one second left in the third.

Most hat tricks, @BlueJacketsNHL history:

5 – Rick Nash
4 – @CamAtkinson13
3 – Tyler Wright#NHLStats #CBJvsPHI pic.twitter.com/QnKrC3mtvC
— NHL Public Relations (@PR_NHL) March 16, 2018

The Blue Jackets equaled the Flyers' 81-point total with the victory, but Philadelphia remains ahead of Columbus for third place in the Metro by virtue of having one more regulation-or-overtime win in the same number of games played.

Atkinson's had a disappointing season by his standards, with 16 goals and 33 points in 55 games. He enjoyed a career year in 2016-17, pouring in 35 goals and 62 points en route to signing a seven-year, $41.125-million contract extension.