Flyers (15-13-7) at Blue Jackets (21-13-2)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday.
WHERE: Nationwide Arena.
BROADCAST & STREAMING: TV — NBC Sports Philadelphia (TV), NBCSports.com (online), 93.3 FM (radio)
SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE: @BroadStBull and @samdonnellon on Twiter.
KEY PLAYERS: Coming off a listless performance in a 4-2 loss at worst-in-the-East Buffalo, the Flyers will play their second game in as many nights. They will face a much tougher team, one that has dominated them at Nationwide Arena.
The Blue Jackets have won the last 10 games against the Flyers in Columbus.
Artemi Panarin (30 points), Josh Anderson (13 goals), and former Flyer Sergei Bobrovsky (2.41 GAA, .920 save percentage) lead Columbus, which is 13-6 at home.
Bobrovsky has struggled in recent games. So have the Blue Jackets, who have lost four of their last six, including 7-2 defeats to Edmonton and Boston. Columbus dropped a 3-2 shootout in Pittsburgh on Thursday.
Jake Voracek, who has a league-best 36 assists, leads the Flyers with 44 points, three more than Claude Giroux. Shayne Gostisbehere paces the defense with seven goals and 27 points.
Goalie Brian Elliott is expected to make his 11th straight start, though there is an outside chance Alex Lyon makes his NHL debut.
THINGS TO KNOW: Injured defenseman Zach Werenski (10 goals) is questionable for the Jackets. … Both teams are averaging 2.8 goals per game, and allowing about 2.7 per game. … Columbus center Pierre-Luc Dubois has goals in two straight games and has 12 points in his last 13 contests. … D-man Seth Jones has 20 points for the Jackets. … Sean Couturier has 16 goals to lead the Flyers, who are playing their last game before the Christmas break.
HEAD TO HEAD: This is the first of four meetings between the teams. The all-time series is 10-10-3-5. The Flyers haven’t won in Columbus since the 2005-06 season.
COMING FLYERS GAMES:
Thursday: 7:30 p.m. at Florida.
Friday: 7:30 p.m. at Tampa Bay.
Jan. 2: 7 p.m. vs. Pittsburgh.
Comment policy:
Philly.com comments are intended to be civil, friendly conversations. Please treat other participants with respect and in a way that you would want to be treated. You are responsible for what you say. And please, stay on topic. If you see an objectionable post, please report it to us using the "Report Abuse" option.
Please note that comments are monitored by Philly.com staff. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable. Personal attacks, especially on other participants, are not permitted. We reserve the right to permanently block any user who violates these terms and conditions.
Additionally comments that are long, have multiple paragraph breaks, include code, or include hyperlinks may not be posted.