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Looking to snap a three-game winless streak, John Tortorella's Philadelphia Flyers (19-13-5) return home to Philadelphia to begin a four-game homestand with a game against Pascal Vincent's Columbus Blue Jackets (12-19-8) on Thursday evening. Game time at Wells Fargo Center is 7:00 p.m. ET.

The game will be televised on NBCSP. The radio broadcast is on 97.5 The Fanatic with an online simulcast on Flyers Radio 24/7.

The Flyers finished a four-game-in-six-nights western road trip on Tuesday with a loss to the Edmonton Oilers. The Flyers battled back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game in the second period on goals by Travis Konecny (18th) and Marc Staal (1st). However, Philly had no answers for Connor McDavid, who compiled five points (1g, 4a). Carter Hart stopped 31 of 36 shots in a losing cause.

Thursday's game is the third meeting of the four-game season series between the Flyers and Blue Jackets. On opening night in Columbus (Oct. 12), the Flyers earned a 4-2 win. On Nov. 19 at the Wells Fargo Center, the Flyers skated to a 5-2 victory. After this game, the season series will conclude back at Nationwide Arena on April 6.

Here are five things to watch in Thursday's game:

1. Playing with Structure and Discipline

Whether it was due to the Flyers playing their third game in four night or simply not being sharp enough, the Flyers yielded far too much time and space -- and over-relied on their goaltending -- for significant portions of Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Calgary Flames.

On Tuesday in Edmonton, the Flyers fared somewhat better (particularly in the second period) during portions of the game against the Oilers. However, the talents of McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and key supporting cast players such as Zack Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins eventually proved to be too much to handle. The Oilers pulled away in the third period.

The Flyers hurt themselves with a couple of penalties against an Oilers attack that is lethal when they have a man advantage. A tripping penalty by Cam Atkinson late in the second period was converted into what proved to be the game-winning goal. Early in the third period, on a delayed penalty against Owen Tippett, the Oilers ran the Flyers ragged on a prolonged 6-on-5 and eventually scored to open a 4-2 lead.

Between lapses of structure and discipline, the promising start to the road trip with an impressive 4-1 win in Vancouver ended on a sour note. It's now up to the Flyers to correct the issues that have arisen in the last few games.

2. Farabee Clicking on Couturier Line

The decision to move Joel Farabee up to the Flyers top line with Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny was one of the most positive developments during the recent road trip. Entering Thursday's game against Columbus, Farabee has seven points (1g, 6a) in his last five games.

For the season, Farabee leads the Flyers with 26 points at 5-on-5 and is second on the team overall with 27 points (12g, 15a) on the season. Konecny leads the Flyers with 33 points through 37 games (team-high 18g, 15a). Couturier is fourth with 24 points (9g, 15a), although he posted just one point (0g, 1a) during the recent road trip.

Beyond the Flyers top line, the team needs more consistency from much of its supporting cast of forwards. None among Tippett (0g, 1a), Morgan Frost (0g, 1a), Tyson Foerster (0g, 1a), Bobby Brink (1g, 1a), Cam Atkinson (0g, 1a), Ryan Poehling (0g, 2a), or Scott Laughton (0g, 1a) were able to sufficiently supply the supplementary offensive production on the road trip.

That was especially true in Seattle, the first 55 minutes of the game in Calgary and during the first and third periods in Edmonton. The Flyers need to score by committee to win. Of late, too much of the production has come from just two forwards: Konecny and Farabee.

3. Puck Possession Quantity and Quality Needs to Rebound

Over the first quarter of the 2023-24 season, the Flyers surprised much of the NHL with their forechecking game and ability to turn defense into offense in transition. The latter area has remained strong but the Flyers have gradually slipped in recent weeks in terms of generating puck possession.

Over their last 10 games, the Flyers rank 22nd in the NHL in terms of 5-on-5 team shot attempt differential (Corsi). More importantly, though, Philly is also giving up too many dangerous scoring chances of late. In the last 10 games, at even strength, the Flyers rank 26th in their expected goal share (46.1 percent) per Natural Stat Trick.

The metrics match the eye test: the Flyers of late have been defending too much, and not generating enough puck possession and shot quality of their own. Philly still ranks 16th in the NHL for the season in team shot attempt differential (49.3 percent) and

11th in expected goals share at even strength (51.6 percent).

4. Flyers Special Teams vs. Columbus Special Teams

The Flyers went 0-for-4 on the power play in Edmonton. Their first power play was promising in terms of offensive zone possession time and puck movement but was unable to score. The remaining three power plays struggled to get set up. Personnel was juggled between the first and second units by the third period.

For the season, the Flyers rank last (32nd) in the NHL at 10.2 percent on the power play. They've produced 12 goals on 118 power play opportunities. The Flyers have allowed two shorthanded goals to date.

The Columbus penalty kill ranks 14th in the NHL this season at 80.6 percent (opponents are 21-for-108). The Blue Jackets have yet to tally a shorthanded goal in 2023-24. The PK has been struggling over the last month, ranking 31st in NHL (67.4 percent, with opponents going 14-for-43) over the team's 14 games since the start of December.

On the flip side, the Blue Jackets' power play has been hot of late. In the last 14 games, Columbus has scored at a 25.0 percent clip (8-for-32, one shorthanded goal allowed). For the season, though, Columbus ranks 25th on the man advantage (16-for-105, 15.2 percent, three shorthanded goals against.

The Flyers entered Wednesday's NHL games ranked in a tie with the Dallas Stars for third in the NHL on the penalty kill (85.3 percent, with opponents going 17-for-1116). Philly is tied with the Calgary Flames and St. Louis Blues for the most shorthanded goals in the league (nine apiece). Konecny has collected four SHGs, defenseman Sean Walker has two, while Laughton, Poehling and Garnet Hathaway have chipped in one apiece.

5. Behind Enemy Lines: Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets are 3-4-3 over their last 10 games including a 4-1 home loss to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday. The team upset the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime, 6-5, on Dec. 29 but then dropped a 3-2 road decision in overtime against the Buffalo Sabres the next night.

For the season, the Blue Jackets have a 4-8-5 record in road games.

Johnny Gaudreau leads the Blue Jackets in scoring with 25 points (7g, 18a) but drags a minus-18 into Thursday's game. He's followed by defenseman Zach Werenski (1g, 24a, 25 points), highly touted rookie center Adam Fantilli (11g, 12a, 23 points, minus-13), winger Karill Marchenko (13g, 8a, 21 points), and ex-Flyers blueliner Ivan Provorov (2g, 19a, 21 points, minus-11).

The Blue Jackets are currently riddled with key injuries. Werenski (ankle) is expected to miss 4-for-6 weeks from Dec. 30. Patrik Laine (fractured clavicle) was put on IR retroactive to Dec. 14. He's expected to miss approximately six weeks from the time of the injury. Veteran Flyer-killer Boone Jenner suffered a fractured thumb in mid December and is expected to out until mid-to-late January after undergoing surgery.

In goal, Elvis Merzlikins (23 GP, 7-8-6 record, 3.25 GAA, .907 save percentage) has made 23 starts. Spencer Martin has made 10 starts and three relief appearances (3-8-1, 3.65 GAA, .887 SV%). Daniil Tarasov has played in four games (1-2-1, 4.02 GAA, .877 SV%).