Blue Jackets at Flyers
After experiencing a bump in the road in Buffalo, the Columbus Blue Jackets continue their quest for a division title - and the Presidents' Trophy - when they visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday. Columbus dropped a 5-3 decision to the Sabres on Saturday to remain three points behind Washington for the top spot in both the Metropolitan Division and the entire league.
.
The setback, during which they squandered a 3-0 first-period lead, snapped the Blue Jackets' three-game winning streak while leading scorer Cam Atkinson (57 points) - who is one of the NHL's 11 players at the 30-goal plateau - failed to land on the scoresheet for the first time in five contests. While Columbus aims for supremacy, Philadelphia is just fighting to make the playoffs, as it trails Toronto by six points for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. The Flyers have lost two straight, including a 2-1 defeat at Boston on Saturday that concluded a 1-2-1 road trip. Wayne Simmonds tops the club with 28 goals despite scoring just once in his last five games, and is one shy of 200 for his career.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Sportsnet One, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, FSN Ohio (Columbus), CSN Philadelphia
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (43-18-6): Ryan Murray's return from a two-game absence due to a lower-body injury was short-lived, as the defenseman saw just 1 minute, 44 seconds of ice time Saturday before blocking a shot with his hand and exiting the contest. Sam Gagner, who recorded eight goals and eight assists in 53 games with Philadelphia last season, set up a pair of tallies against Buffalo to extend his point streak to five games. The 27-year-old, who has collected three goals and four assists during the run, is fifth on the team with 43 points - six shy of the career high he set during his 2007-08 rookie season with Edmonton.
ABOUT THE FLYERS (31-28-8): Despite the team's current swoon, Steve Mason has played well of late - allowing fewer than three goals in four of his last five starts. Captain Claude Giroux recorded an assist Saturday to give him a point in three straight games. The 29-year-old center has appeared in 641 contests and is nine away from passing John LeClair for 11th place on the franchise list.
OVERTIME
1. The Blue Jackets received a scare Saturday as Atkinson left the contest with a shoulder laceration that required 17 stitches, but he returned later in the game and is expected to play Monday.
2. Philadelphia RW Matt Read needs two assists to reach 100 in the NHL.
3. Columbus captain Nick Foligno is second on the team with 24 goals and has scored in each of his last two games.