Gameday Preview: Blue Jackets vs. Flyers

The Details

BLUE JACKETS vs. FLYERS
GAME INFO
COLUMBUS: 4-9-1, 8th in Metropolitan
PHILADELPHIA: 7-6-2, T-5th in Metropolitan
NATIONWIDE ARENA, 7:30 p.m. ET
BUY TICKETS
HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER NIGHT presented by OhioHealth
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CBJ Player Statistics
Flyers Player Statistics
NHL Standings
RECENT ARTICLES
25 years of Blue Jackets
SvoNotes: Bemstrom's chance
Bjork shines in NHL debut

What They're Saying

Unfortunately, the Blue Jackets must reset the "days without a workplace injury" sign to zero.
After losing a trio of defensemen in a win against the Flyers, including top blueliner Zach Werenski for the year, Columbus saw high-scoring wing Patrik Laine injured in the final moments of Saturday's OT loss at the Islanders.
Laine got tied up with Zach Parise moments before the latter's game-winning goal in extra time and suffered a sprained ankle that will keep him out three to four weeks, adding him to a list of walking wounded that now includes Werenski, Nick Blankenburg, Justin Danforth, Jakub Voracek and Adam Boqvist.
When it was suggested to head coach Brad Larsen that he might want to invest in a lucky rabbit's foot to change his luck, he had a quick response.
"Bubble wrap is what we need," Larsen said.
That's six players that could be considered regulars who are out, but there is some good news -- center Sean Kuraly and defenseman Erik Gudbranson both practiced Monday after missing time with upper body injuries.
Despite all the missing pieces, Columbus turned in a solid effort on Long Island, thrice taking the lead only to see a veteran New York team battle back. Still, Larsen was happy with the way the Blue Jackets circled the wagons and put in the work against the Islanders.
"I thought the guys in the lineup did a heck of a job," Larsen said. "I really did. I thought it was a really good game. … I thought the guys battled their tails off. We had the lead; they had to come from behind on us. A lot of positives throughout that game as far as guys' effort."

Know The Foe: Philadelphia Flyers

Head coach: John Tortorella (First season)
Season Stats:Goals per game: 2.47 (31st) | Scoring defense: 2.87 (12th) | PP: 16.0 percent (28th) | PK: 77.6 percent (18th)
The narrative: With the welcome back out of the way last Thursday night, Tortorella comes to Columbus hoping the right the Philly ship. The Flyers were one of the stories of the early going in the NHL, racing out to a 7-3-2 start and embracing a hard-working, tight-checking mentality installed by the former CBJ coach. But last Thursday night's 5-2 setback against the Blue Jackets started what has become a three-game skid for the Flyers, who have been outscored 14-4 in that span.
2022-23 leaders:Philadelphia has been banged up at the forward position -- Cam Atkinson, Sean Couturier and James van Riemsdyk are all out -- but the team is still led up front by Travis Konecny and Kevin Hayes. Konecny is the only player on the squad averaging at least a point per game, posting a 6-11-17 and riding a six-game point streak, while Hayes has three goals among his 14 points. Tony DeAngelo is the leading scorer from the blue line with a 3-6-9 line.
Carter Hart, meanwhile, has been one of the best goaltenders in the league, posting a 6-2-2 record, 2.18 GAA and .937 save percentage. Per MoneyPuck.com, he's No. 1 in the NHL by far in goals saved above average per 60 minutes at 5-on-5.
What's new: Add veteran defenseman Ryan Ellis to the list of injuries and you can see the Flyers are missing many of their longstanding NHLers. It's a young squad, perhaps one given to ups and downs, including the recent cold streak. Special teams haven't helped - Philly has given up four power-play goals in the last two games plus a shorthanded tally in weekend setbacks vs. Ottawa (4-1) and Dallas (5-1).
Trending: Columbus has won three of the last four games over the past two seasons, including Thursday's victory over Philadelphia that moved the Jackets to 22-9-2 vs. the Flyers since the start of the 2013-14 season.
Former CBJ:Tortorella is joined on the bench by longtime assistant Brad Shaw, who worked with him in Columbus. Atkinson, the CBJ franchise's No. 2 player all-time in games played and goals scored, has returned to practice but is not yet ready to play because of an upper-body injury. Lukas Sedlak was claimed on waivers early this season and has a goal and three points in 11 games.

3 Keys to the Game

Special special teams: Philadelphia has been struggling when it comes to its power play and penalty kill, while Columbus has a power-play goal in three of four games.
Be resilient: The Blue Jackets are in a spot where the depleted lineup means there likely will be ups and downs during games, but Columbus can't let one bad shift become two or more. Just stick with it.
No passengers: Relatedly, Larsen said the Blue Jackets are in a spot where everyone has to be pulling the rope each night. They need all 18 skaters and a goalie on board.

3 Stats to Know

• Defenseman Marcus Bjork became the first-ever CBJ defenseman and just the seventh Blue Jacket all-time to score in his NHL debut on Saturday night.
• With three players scoring their first goals of the season Saturday night -- Bjork, Emil Bemstrom and Cole Sillinger -- Columbus now has 19 different players with goals this year in 14 games.
• Milestone watch: Head coach Brad Larsen is four games from 100 for his NHL career. … Erik Gudbranson is three points from 100 for his NHL career (27-70-97, 654 GP). … Boone Jenner is eight points from 300 for his NHL career (148-144-292, 603 GP). … Sillinger is seven games from 100 for his NHL career (17-17-34, 93 GP).

Who's Hot

Bemstrom is coming off a two-point game with a goal and an assist in his second contest of the season. … With two assists Saturday against the Islanders, Gus Nyquist now has cleared the 100-point mark (35-66-101) in his CBJ career. … Joonas Korpisalo has a .912 save percentage in the last three games since his return from hip surgery. … While 19 CBJ players have scored, 11 of them have multiple goals. … With 10 goals by defensemen, the Jackets are tied for fourth in the NHL.

This Day in CBJ History

Nov. 15, 2005: The Blue Jackets acquire six-time All-Star Sergei Fedorov and a fifth-round pick in the 2006 NHL Draft from Anaheim in exchange for forward Tyler Wright and defenseman Francois Beauchemin.
Nov. 15, 2016: Cam Atkinson scores against Philipp Grubauer just 37 seconds into overtime to give the Blue Jackets a 2-1 win over Washington in Nationwide Arena.
Nov. 15, 2019: Zach Werenski scores in overtime to give Columbus a 3-2 victory over St. Louis in Nationwide Arena. Vladislav Gavrikov also scores his first career NHL goal in the win.
Nov. 15, 2021: Columbus scores three times in the last five minutes to claim a 5-3 victory over Detroit at Nationwide Arena. Yegor Chinakhov's first career goal tied the score with 4:18 to go before Werenski's winner with 1:19 left. Alexandre Texier then set the final score with an empty-net goal.

Roster Report

Projected Lineup (subject to change)
Johnny Gaudreau - Boone Jenner - Emil Bemstrom
Yegor Chinakhov - Cole Sillinger - Gustav Nyquist
Liam Foudy - Brendan Gaunce - Kent Johnson
Eric Robinson - Sean Kuraly - Mathieu Oliver
Vladislav Gavrikov - Andrew Peeke
Jake Bean - Marcus Bjork
Jake Christiansen - Erik Gudbranson
Elvis Merzlikins
Joonas Korpisalo
Scratches: Jack Roslovic, Gavin Bayreuther, Patrik Laine (ankle sprain, out three to four weeks as of Nov. 14)
Injured reserve: Jakub Voracek (upper body, out indefinitely); Nick Blankenburg (ankle, out six to eight weeks as of Nov. 11); Adam Boqvist (broken foot; out six weeks as of Oct. 26); Zach Werenski (shoulder, out for season); Justin Danforth (shoulder surgery; out six months as of Oct. 25)
Roster Report: Kuraly and Gudbranson returned to practice Monday and wil return after missing games last week with upper-body injuries, but Laine joins the ranks of the walking wounded. Roslovic also did not skate in line rushes Monday and will be a healthy scratch, with Johnson going in. Merzlikins will make his first start since Nov. 4 in Finland against Colorado.