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Playing the second fixture of their current back-to-back set, the Columbus Blue Jackets (8th in Metropolitan Division) will try to snap a four-game losing streak while paying a visit to the Philadelphia Flyers (7th in Metropolitan), who have won just three of their last 20 matchups.
The first contest of a back-to-back set ended disappointingly for the Columbus Blue Jackets (10-19-2), who expanded their current losing skid to four fixtures (0-4-0) following a 2-1 setback against the Dallas Stars at Nationwide Arena last night. Rookie Kent Johnson (7 goals, 15 points this year) tallied the only marker for the Jackets, scoring on a 6-on-5 with 15 seconds left in the game after Dallas made it 2-0 with an empty-netter 52 seconds prior following its opener 55 seconds into the second period. It was the first time in the past five matchups Columbus conceded less than four goals. The team is 2-7-0 in its last nine contests.
Goalie Daniil Tarasov (2-6-1 on the season with a 3.03 GAA and a .915 save percentage) made 32 saves yesterday, but is likely to vacate the crease for Elvis Merzlikins ahead of tonight’s trip to Philadelphia. Merzlikins is 4-8-0 for the ongoing campaign with a 4.68 GAA and a .864 save percentage, and has posted a 2-2-1 career total against the Flyers with a 3.19 GAA and a .903 save percentage. The Blue Jackets, meanwhile, are burying the 5th lowest number of goals per game this year (2.71), while allowing the 2nd highest amount in their defensive zone (4.00). They are 3rd worst in power play (15.3%) and 17th in penalty kill (77.6%).