5 THINGS: Flyers vs. Blue Jackets

QUICK STATS
Season Series (2015-16): 1-1-2
All-Time Record: 24 gp (9-8-3-4)
Leading Scorers: PHI: 39pts, Voracek (13g-26a) | CBJ: 39pts, Atkinson (19g-20a)
Power Play: (PHI: 31-for-143, 21.7%, 9th) (CBJ: 31-for-114, 27.2%, 1st)
Penalty Kill: (PHI: 96-of-118, 81.3%, 18th) (CBJ: 89-for-109, 81.7%, 15th)
1. HELLO, ITS ME
The Blue Jackets are the only team in the Eastern Conference the Flyers have yet to face so far this season, and one of just two teams in the entire league they haven't played yet (Vancouver)… Both the Flyers and Blue Jackets play the second of games on back-to-back days with the Flyers coming off a 4-2 win at home over Tampa Bay and the Blue Jackets dropping a 5-4 decision against the New York Rangers at home… The Flyers are 6-2-1 in the second game of back-to-backs, while Columbus is 4-1-3.
2. NATIONWIDE NOT ON OUR SIDE
The Flyers enter today's game having dropped eight-straight games playing at Columbus, going 0-4-4, with the last four meetings all decided past regulation play… Last season, they dropped both game by way of a shootout by a score of 3-2, while two seasons ago they lost both games in overtime… The Flyers last win at Nationwide Arena came on Dec. 13, 2005, with the Flyers receiving goals from Peter Forsberg, Sami Kapanen and Jeff Carter.

3. ABOUT THAT STREAK
The Blue Jackets are the NHL's leading team with a .763 win percentage and 58 points, and are second with 27 wins… They have earned points in 31 of their first 38 games of the season, but have dropped two straight games after posting a franchise best 16-game winning streak which lasted from Nov. 29-Jan. 3 and was the second-longest single season win streak in NHL history (17 - Pittsburgh in 1993)… During that streak, Columbus outscored opponents 62-27.
4. SPECIAL FACTORS
The Blue Jackets own the NHL's best power-play at 27.2 percent and tonight marks the fourth straight game the Flyers are playing each of the Top 4 power-play teams in the NHL (Ducks #4, Rangers #3, Lightning #2, Blue Jackets #1) but have yet to surrender a goal on the penalty kill, going 5-for-5, against those teams in the last three games… The Flyers rank ninth on the power play at 21.7 percent, but are tied for second with Columbus for the most goals scored on the man advantage this season (31).
5. PLAYERS TO WATCH:
FLYERS (D: #9 - Ivan Provorov)
The Flyers #7 overall draft pick in 2015 leads the team in time-on-ice this season (21:13), which ranks third among all rookies, and since Dec. 4, he averages nearly 23 minutes of TOI per-game (22:50)… He is second on the Flyers defense with 17 points (3g-14a), which ranks second among all rookie defensemen, but leads all rookie d-men with 15 of his points coming at even strength… Provorov is the only Flyers defenseman to appear in all 41 games this season.
BLUE JACKETS (D: #8 - Zach Werenski)
The #8 overall draft pick in 2015 leads all rookie defensemen in goals (6), assists (19) and points (25), but has just four points in his last nine games… He has 15 of his 25 points on the power-play, which is tied for the overall rookie lead in the NHL… Werenski ranks fourth among rookies in average TOI at 21:11 per game and leads all rookie d-men with a plus-minus rating of +6.
TODAY AT 50
On January 8, 2002… Center Jiri Dopita, the highly sought out Czech player by NHL clubs for many years who annually rebuffed contract offers from the Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, Florida Panthers but finally signed with the Flyers, racked up four goals (on four shots) and recorded one assist as the Flyers downed the visiting Atlanta Thrashers, 7-4. No Flyers player has had a four-goal game since Dopita accomplished the feat.