5 THINGS: Blue Jackets vs. Flyers

Philadelphia Flyers (31-19-10: 72pts) vs. Columbus Blue Jackets (30-25-5: 65pts)
at Wells Fargo Center | Philadelphia, PA
TIME: 7:00 p.m. ET | TV: NBCSP | RADIO: 93.3 WMMR
presented by The Rothman Institute at Jefferson Hospital
QUICK STATS
Season Series: 1-0-1
All-Time Record:30gp (11-10-9)
Leading Scorers:
PHI: 70-pts, Giroux (20g-50a)
CBJ: 48-pts, Panarin (16g-32a)

1. PIVOTAL POINTS
The Flyers put their three-game winning streak on the line when they face Columbus tonight... In addition to their three-game winning streak, the Flyers have earned points in the standings in nine straight games (7-0-2), which is the first time they have earned points in nine straight since their 10-game win streak last season (Nov. 27-Dec. 14)... This is the final home game of February for the Flyers, who have earned points in every home game this month, going 2-0-2... These numbers add up to the Flyers (72pts) sitting third in the Metropolitan Division, two points behind the Penguins (74pts) who are idle tonight, and three points back of Washington (75pts) who play at Florida.
2. COLD MONTH
As far as playoff chances, the Flyers hold a seven-point lead over the second wild card position, currently held by tonight's opponent... The Columbus Blue Jackets are clinging to the final wild card position at 65 points with 60 games played, just one point ahead of two teams in close pursuit - the Carolina Hurricanes (64pts, 60gp) and NY Islanders (64pts, 61gp)... They finish a stretch of four straight games against Metro Division opponents tonight, which is also the ninth time in the 11 games so far in February against a Division opponent... The Blue Jackets snapped a three-game skid at New Jersey with a 2-1 win on Tuesday and are 3-6-1 on the month.
3. GIMME A CHANCE
The Flyers come into tonight's game looking to make NHL history... They have gone three straight games where they have not allowed their opponent a chance on the power-play... In fact, there have been only five power-play opportunities in total in the last three games, all belonging to the Flyers (1-for-5)... The Flyers have also not allowed a goal on the man-advantage in their last six games over a span of two weeks (6-for-6), last allowing a PPG to Montreal with 2:54 left in the third period to Brendan Gallagher on Feb. 8... The Blue Jackets have also gone a perfect 6-for-6 on the PK over their last four games... Columbus ranks second in the NHL this season for the fewest amount of times they have been shorthanded (151), while the Flyers rank sixth for the fewest shorthanded occasions (172).
4. CLOSE AS THEY COME
Tonight is the third of four meetings against the Blue Jackets with the first two games of the season series decided past regulation play with each team winning once... Seven of past 13 games between the two clubs have been decided after regulation, but all have been in Columbus (seven of the last eight)... In Philadelphia, the games haven't been as close, with each of the last six meetings decided by more than one goal... For Columbus, Artemi Panarin leads the team in overall scoring with 48 points, while recording five points (3g-2a) in six career games against the Flyers... Claude Giroux has his fifth 70+ point season (first since 2014-15) and his fourth 50+ assist season (first since 2013-14).
5. PLAYERS TO WATCH:
FLYERS (D: #53 - Shayne Gostisbehere)
Gostisbehere leads all NHL defensemen in scoring in February with 14 points (1g-13a), only six of which have come on the power play... He ranks first among all NHL d-men in power-play scoring at 24 points on the man advantage, and since entering the NHL on a full-time basis in 2015-16, he ranks second among all blueliners with 69 power-play points (SJS-Burns, 77pts)... Gostisbehere will also play his 199th game in the NHL tonight, including his 100th NHL game in the Wells Fargo Center.
BLUE JACKETS (G: #72 - Sergei Bobrovsky)
Should the former Flyer get the call in net tonight it will be his third game against the Philly this season... Lifetime he owns a 9-2-1 record against the Flyers with a 1.81 GAA and .938 save percentage, but playing at the Wells Fargo Center his record drops to 3-2-0 with a 2.43 GAA and .921 save percentage... Bobrovsky has 25 of the Blue Jackets 30 wins, which ranks sixth among all NHL goaltenders, but ranks second among all goaltenders for minutes played (2,952).