Panarin puts on a show against his former team

—They would love CHICAGO to see Artemi Panarin return to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Windy City, and it’s easy to see why.

Panarin did nothing but stoke the “come back home, Artemi” fire on Saturday night at the United Center, leading the Blue Jackets to a 5-2 victory with two goals

and three points against his former team. It was his fourth two-goal game and team-leading 21st multi-point effort of the season.

“When we first got him, I wasn’t sure what he was going to be,” Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said of Panarin, who is unsigned beyond this season and has stated his desire to become a free agent on July 1. “I know how much talent he had, but when we first got him, I wasn’t sure if we could coach him. Does he play hard? Does he have an attitude? He has been, from day one, just a great pro.”

He also has been quite a showman, which he put on full display against the Blackhawks.

It started with a good-na- tured pregame showdown with his former teammate, Chicago star Patrick Kane. As warmups wound down, Kane playfully flipped a puck toward Panarin — something Panarin did to Kane in Chicago’s trip to Columbus last season.

Panarin sidestepped it, waited for Kane to leave the ice and sent a puck right back, clacking off the boards near the door to the Blackhawks’ bench.

Fans got a rise out of it and Kane shot his friend a stare. Panarin, who gifted Kane an expensive watch this season as a token of appreciation for their two seasons together, returned the glare.

It turned out to be a pre

amble to the game itself, because it wasn’t their final tit for tat.

They exchanged goals, too, scoring 17 seconds apart in a first period that belonged to Columbus.

Along with his 23rd goal and first of the game, Panarin also set up Cam Atkinson’s 32nd with 37.3 seconds left in the period — giving the Blue Jackets a 3-1 lead.

Pierre-Luc Dubois also scored in the first, opening the scoring with a great wrist shot for his 22nd goal, and he added an assist on Panarin’s first goal.

Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky made 12 of his 39 saves in the first, including a few that will be replayed on highlight shows.

Kane, who tied it at 1 in the first, had a goal and assist to extend his season-high points streak to 17 games and franchise-record assist streak to 16 straight games.