This is a matchup of two teams that have gotten off to, let's say, interesting starts.
Both teams are coming off postseason appearances in 2017-18, and have had head-scratching home openers, a few lopsided loses and impressive wins this season.
In short, they were destined to meet tonight.
The Columbus Blue Jackets host the Philadelphia Flyers for the first time this season, their first Metropolitan Division matchup of 2018-19 after a lull in their schedule where they haven't played since Saturday in Tampa. Gulp.
However, four days off may have been what the Blue Jackets needed right now.
After an 8-2 loss to the Lightning in their most recent game, the Jackets have taken some time to refocus and remind themselves that the season is still young.
But if they want to be considered a threat to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference, they need to start stringing wins together, or even just solid performances. All five Blue Jackets games have told a different story this season.
This leaves us to wonder, which Blue Jackets team will we get tonight?
Projected Lines
Panarin – Dubois – Atkinson
Foligno – Wennberg – Duclair
Jenner – Nash – Anderson
Milano – Sedlak – Bjorkstrand
Defensemen
Werenski – Savard
Murray – Nutivaara
Harrington – Clendening
Goaltender
Bobrovsky
Storylines
- In his Wednesday radio hit with 97.1 The Fan, John Tortorella said defenseman Seth Jones had "very good day" on the ice yesterday, and that Jones could return on the early half of the 4-to-6 week recovery timeline for a sprained knee. Thursday Oct. 25 in St. Louis would be mark almost four weeks since the injury.
- The Blue Jackets hold an all-time record of 17-11-4 against the Flyers, and won the most recent matchup when the Flyers visited Columbus in March, giving them the upper hand on the season series, 2-1-1. If you were curious, the Blue Jackets have a winning record against 13 other opponents in all-time matchups.
- Sergei Bobrovsky is making the start against his former team, shutting down any thought that Tortorella would be sitting his No. 1 goalie after giving up eight goals in Tampa.
- According to Brian Hedger of The Dispatch, Cam Atkinson has been moved back up to the top power play unit, swapping with Booner Jenner. The first unit now consists of Atkinson, Zach Werenski, Artemi Panarin, Anthony Duclair and Nick Foligno.
