Blue Jackets fall to Flyers in Nationwide

COLUMBUS -- Travis Konecny scored twice for the Philadelphia Flyers, who defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3 at Nationwide Arena on Tuesday.

Morgan Frost had a goal and an assist, Matvei Michkov had two assists, and Samuel Ersson made 15 saves for the Flyers (13-12-4), who ended a three-game losing streak (0-2-1).

“We needed that win,” Konecny said. “We’ve been going in the wrong direction for a few games, so it was good to turn it around.”

Philadelphia is 5-0-2 in its past seven road games.

“I think that team comes off a long road trip. I think we caught them at a good time," Flyers coach John Tortorella said. "It's a very good team, very fast team, but I felt it was an important game for us to get back to playing with energy."

Kent Johnson had a goal and an assist, Zach Werenski and Sean Monahan scored, and Elvis Merzlikins made 19 saves for the Blue Jackets (12-13-3), who have lost four of five.

“We let it slip away,” Monahan said. “It’s an important time in the season, and we’ve got to regroup tomorrow and get ready for the next one.

“On nights like this, you’ve got to simplify the game, work for your chances and figure out ways to beat the pressure. We didn’t do that at times tonight.”

Noah Cates put the Flyers ahead 1-0 at 4:37 of the first period. Tyson Foerster’s shot from in tight hit Merzlikins, bounced off his shoulders and landed in the crease, where Cates pushed it across the goal line for his second goal of the season.

“To get a bounce like that where you're in the right place at the right time feels good,” Cates said. “It feels like karma. You're doing the right things away from the puck and with the puck and it pays off there.”

Owen Tippett made it 2-0 at 10:56 with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle that surprised Merzlikins blocker side.

Tippett has five goals in his past five games after scoring four goals in his first 24 games this season.

Konecny increased the lead to 3-0 at 6:11 of the second period, scoring a power-play goal from the top of the right circle after receiving a cross-ice pass from Bobby Brink.

It was the 14th game in a row the Blue Jackets have allowed a power-play goal.

Werenski scored his own power-play goal at 16:56 to make it 3-1. He beat Ersson with a one-timer from the top of the right circle that went in off the near post.

“If you play a team like that and don’t really work for it, you’re not going to get much. That’s going to be the result,” Werenski said. “We kind of got what we deserved.”

Konecny made it 4-1 at 19:00, taking a stretch pass from Joel Farabee and scoring five-hole on a breakaway.

“It’s always brutal when you feel momentum going and then they push right back,” Johnson said. “We’ve got to clean that up and figure it out for the next game.”

Frost pushed the lead to 5-1 at 1:55 of the third period. He shot into an open net after his initial redirection of Michkov's centering pass was stopped by Merzlikins in front.

“I think we made it a boring game at times,” Frost said. “We stuck to our structure, which is something we talked about, so we weren't giving up too many chances.

“I don't think it was a crazy, high-energy game. It felt a little slow there between both teams, but at the same time, we brought more than them, had a good start and stuck to our game plan.”

Monahan cut it to 5-2 at 11:42 by redirecting a shot from Dante Fabbro, and Johnson scored at 19:23 for the 5-3 final.

“We just fed into their forecheck,” Blue Jackets coach Dean Evason said. “When you don’t feel comfortable going forward, you turn back, and all you do is invite pressure. Tonight, we played south and played soft instead of going north and playing hard.”

NOTES: Michkov has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) during a five-game point streak. ... Johnson has four points (three goals, one assist) in his past two games. ... Werenski has nine goals this season, which is tied with Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche for the NHL lead.