Flyers at Blue Jackets
The Philadelphia Flyers overcame a brief stumble to regain their footing and continue a mad dash toward a potential postseason appearance. With a 9-2-1 record over their last 12 games, the Flyers look to continue their sprint against a team that has tripped them up in two of their three meetings this season when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
Philadelphia answered Saturday's 4-1 setback to Keystone State-rival Pittsburgh with a victory over the New York Islanders two nights later by the same score. The win moved the Flyers within one point of idle Detroit for the second wild card in the Eastern Conference with one game in hand and three shy of the Islanders for the first extra playoff spot. Sam Gagner scored his sixth goal in 14 contests and also tallied in Philadelphia's 6-0 rout of Columbus on March 5 for his 26th point (11 goals, 15 assists) in 27 career meetings with the Blue Jackets. Columbus, which long has been removed from the postseason discussion, suffered its fourth loss in five contests as it dropped the back end of a home-and-home series against New Jersey with a 2-1 setback on Sunday.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, CSN Philadelphia, FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE FLYERS (35-24-12): Michal Neuvirth's lower-body injury, which reportedly is a torn meniscus, couldn't have come at a worse time as Philadelphia will conclude the first of its four remaining back-to-back sets on Tuesday. Steve Mason made 23 saves versus the Islanders and could face his former team if coach Dave Hakstol elects against sending Anthony Stolarz to the crease for his NHL debut. Mason turned aside all 19 shots he faced in a 6-0 win versus Columbus to improve to 3-3-2 lifetime against the team with which he spent parts of his first five seasons.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (29-35-8): Coach John Tortorella did not reveal his starting goaltender for Tuesday's tilt after Joonas Korpisalo turned aside 20 shots in the loss to the Devils on Sunday. Sergei Bobrovsky started the previous four contests and made 27 saves in a 4-1 win over Philadelphia to improve to 4-1-0 with a 1.80 goals-against average versus the team with which he spent his first two NHL seasons. Fellow goaltender Curtis McElhinney, who was rocked by the Flyers two weeks ago, underwent arthroscopic surgery on his knee Monday to end his season.
OVERTIME
1. Columbus C Alexander Wennberg will be a game-time decision on Tuesday after sitting out versus New Jersey with an undisclosed injury.
2. Philadelphia C Chris VandeVelde is eligible to return after serving a two-game suspension for elbowing Chicago captain Jonathan Toews on Wednesday.
3. The Blue Jackets are a perfect 8-for-8 on the penalty kill against the Flyers this season.