Flyers at Blue Jackets
The Philadelphia Flyers have dragged themselves up from the depths of despair and inserted themselves in the postseason conversation by recording at least a point in 15 of their last 18 games (14-3-1). The Flyers bid to improve their standing and avert a season sweep at the hands of the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday when the Metropolitan Division rivals meet at Nationwide Arena.
Philadelphia captain Claude Giroux, who leads the team in assists (46) and points (65), has scored and set up a goal in consecutive contests and recorded five points (one goal, four assists) in three meetings with Columbus this season. Sean Couturier has tallied in two of those three outings with the Blue Jackets to raise his club-best goal total to 25, and has 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in his last 21 games. While the Flyers' spirited surge has landed them seven points out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, Columbus finds itself one point back of Pittsburgh for that coveted spot after dropping a 5-2 decision to the Penguins on Tuesday. Sergei Bobrovsky, who allowed four goals on 26 shots in that contest, has surrendered just nine total in winning all three meetings this season against Philadelphia to improve to 13-3-1 in 17 career encounters with his former team.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBCS Philadelphia, FS Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE FLYERS (30-26-7): Ryan Hartman introduced himself to Philadelphia's vocal fans by lowering the boom on Buffalo rookie defenseman Rasmus Dahlin during his first shift in Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Sabres. "He's got some skills and some grit. Orange and black is going to look good on him," Giroux told Philly.com of the 24-year-old Hartman, who finds himself with the unenviable task of replacing the popular Wayne Simmonds after the two were involved in a deal with Nashville prior to the NHL's trade deadline on Monday. Hartman, who registered four shots on goal and as many penalty minutes in his debut, had an assist on a game-tying goal in the third period for the Predators in their 4-3 overtime loss to the Blue Jackets on Jan. 10.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (35-24-3): Cam Atkinson, who has scored in three consecutive contests to match his career-high goal total of 35, tallied twice in two of the three outings versus Philadelphia this season. Linemate Artemi Panarin has six assists and seven points in those contests to lift his team-leading totals in both categories (45, 69). Recent acquisition Matt Duchene scored for Ottawa in a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Nov. 27, while fellow former Senator-turned-Blue Jacket Ryan Dzingel has been held without a point in a pair of games with Philadelphia -- although he has one goal and three assists in his last three contests overall.
OVERTIME
1. Columbus owns a 12-0-1 record in its last 13 home games against Philadelphia.
2. Flyers interim coach Scott Gordon told reporters that Brian Elliott will face the Blue Jackets while fellow G Cam Talbot will get the nod on Friday versus New Jersey.
3. Columbus has killed off 53 of its opponents' last 57 power-play opportunities.