Blue Jackets at Flyers
THE STORY: The members of the Columbus Blue Jackets have every reason to hang their heads this season. Their franchise-worst start has sent them careening into the NHL basement - with no relief in sight. After all, the Blue Jackets will put their 11-game winless road record on the line Saturday when they invade the Wells Fargo Center to face the Philadelphia Flyers. Columbus has not even secured a point en route to dropping all six contests away from Nationwide Arena this season. Taken a step further, the Blue Jackets are 0-9-2 on the road dating back to last season and sit three losses shy of tying their franchise mark (0-11-1-2, set in 2003-04). While Columbus has been abysmal on the road, Philadelphia hasn't exactly painted a picture of home dominance. The Flyers have won just three of eight (3-3-2) in front of their fans this season. Considering former Flyer Jeff Carter will sit out Saturday's contest with a fractured right foot, well, the fans might be extra ornery for this one.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSOH, CSP
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (2-10-1): Signed by the Flyers to an 11-year deal in November 2010 - and traded eight months later - Carter will be wearing a suit and tie as opposed to a hockey jersey on Saturday. Needless to say, Carter isn't too thrilled with that development. “I have a lot of good friends there, players and staff and it’ll be good to see them. I wish I was playing against them," Carter said. "But I’m not going to rush back and risk something just to play in Philadelphia.”
ABOUT THE FLYERS (7-4-2): General manager Paul Holmgren denied a report that James van Riemsdyk (lower body injury) was healthy enough to play on Thursday, but was kept out of the game anyways. He is officially listed as day-to-day. Prized offseason acquisition Ilya Bryzgalov has rebounded from a brutal five-game losing skid with two solid victories. The Russian has also fared well versus the Blue Jackets, posting a 9-5-0 career mark with a 2.36 goals-against average.
OVERTIME:
1. Columbus captain Rick Nash sits two points shy of 500. He has fared well in limited meetings versus the Flyers - in fact, he set up Derick Brassard's eventual game-winning goal in the team's last encounter in 2010.
2. Philadelphia captain Chris Pronger returned to practice on Friday - wearing a visor. Sidelined since Oct. 24 with swelling and pressure in his eye, Pronger joined his mates on the ice in Voorhees, N.J. He is still likely a week away from returning to game action.