Columbus @ Philadelphia preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 28, 2019 ) Philadelphia 3, Columbus 4

The Columbus Blue Jackets answered a pair of lopsided losses by keeping their fans on the edge of their seats with eight straight one-goal decisions (5-1-2). Fresh off playing four consecutive overtime contests, the Blue Jackets carry a six-game point streak (4-0-2) into Saturday night's tilt against the host Philadelphia Flyers.

"We're in every game. We're getting points every game. Whether we get one or two, these points are crucial come April," said Columbus forward Cam Atkinson, who scored 3:28 into overtime in a 4-3 victory over Carolina on Thursday. The 30-year-old flustered Philadelphia last season with four goals and an assist as the Blue Jackets completed a four-game sweep of their Metropolitan Division rival. The Flyers have been taking their fans on a bit of a roller-coaster ride as well, sandwiching a pair of victories around a four-game winless skid (0-3-1). "We've been playing good hockey. Even in some of the games we lost, we outplayed the other team," said offseason acquisition Kevin Hayes, who scored in his second straight contest in Thursday's 4-1 victory over Chicago.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Ohio (Columbus), NBCS Philadelphia

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (5-3-2): Defenseman Seth Jones, who scored in overtime on two occasions against Philadelphia last season, set up a goal for the second straight game on Thursday to lift his club-best assist total to five. The 25-year-old's six points are matched for the team lead by Pierre-Luc Dubois, who has scored all four of his team-leading four goals in the last seven games. Riley Nash is one assist shy of 100 for his career while fellow center Boone Jenner resides two shy of the century mark.

ABOUT THE FLYERS (4-3-1): Oskar Lindbolm has scored in consecutive contests to boost his team-leading goal total to five this season and nine in his last 13 games dating to the 2018-19 campaign. The 23-year-old Swede benefited from an assist from linemate Travis Konecny on his first-period goal Thursday, with the pair totaling 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) in the first eight games this season. Captain Claude Giroux, who scored his first goal of the season on Thursday, recorded six points (one goal, five assists) in four contests versus Columbus in 2018-19.

OVERTIME

1. Philadelphia G Carter Hart has turned aside 44 of 53 shots during his three-game winless skid (0-2-1).

2. Columbus has converted just four of its 30 power-play opportunities this season.

3. Flyers LW Michael Raffl's availability against the Blue Jackets is uncertain after he was hit in the leg with a shot on Thursday.

PREDICTION: Flyers 3, Blue Jackets 2