Blue Jackets at Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers attempt to keep alive their postseason hopes as they continue their season-high six-game homestand Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Philadelphia sits five points behind Metropolitan Division-rival Pittsburgh for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference after a 4-0 loss to Edmonton on Thursday dropped it to 3-1-0 on its string of home games.
Captain Claude Giroux leads the Flyers with 54 points, collecting eight over his last five contests, but has scored one goal in 11 games. Columbus had no problems with the Oilers on Friday, rolling to a 6-3 home victory as 14 of its 18 skaters notched at least one point. The Blue Jackets have won three of their last four games and earned points in five of six (4-1-1) but are all but out of the playoff picture as they trail the Penguins by 12 points with 17 games remaining. Columbus won the first two contests of the four-game season series, posting a 4-1 triumph in Philadelphia on Dec. 5 in the first encounter.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Ohio (Columbus), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (27-30-8): Defenseman David Savard is coming off his first career two-goal performance after scoring one over his first 47 games of the season. Boone Jenner has landed on the scoresheet in only four of his last 14 contests but recorded a two-point performance in three of them. Former Flyer Scott Hartnell, who has registered a team-leading 43 points, has notched a goal and an assist in two of his last three games.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (29-23-11): Philadelphia could be without Brayden Schenn, who will be a game-time decision after suffering an apparent head injury in Thursday's loss. The 24-year-old, who is second on the team with a career-high 21 goals, and Edmonton's Adam Pardy fell during a scrum in the third period, with Schenn - who had lost his helmet - hitting his head on the ice. Michal Neuvirth has been coach Dave Hakstol's goaltender of choice lately, starting seven of the last eight games and each of the last five.
OVERTIME
1. Flyers LW Wayne Simmonds tops the club with 23 goals - six shy of his career high set in 2013-14.
2. Columbus G Cam Talbot is expected to make his 10th start in 11 contests after being rested Friday.
3. Philadelphia has scored a power-play goal in 10 of its last 12 home games.