Philadelphia @ Columbus preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 18, 2020 ) Columbus 1, Philadelphia 5

The Philadelphia Flyers have assumed the role of the proverbial Jekyll and Hyde team of the NHL, with their sterling play at home serving as a stark contrast to their shockingly horrific performances on the road. The visiting Flyers aim buck that trend on Thursday when they vie for a season sweep of the struggling Columbus Blue Jackets.

The Flyers rode a fast start to a 5-1 trouncing of Columbus in Tuesday's opener of a home-and-home series, with the victory improving the club's record in Philadelphia to 20-5-4 while bettering its goal-differential (plus-43) and goals-against average (2.07) totals on the season. Coach Alain Vigneault's charges have taken on a vastly different identity on the road, however, sporting a 13-15-3 record, minus-23 goal-differential and 3.65 GAA. While the Flyers' fortunes appear to change with respect to venue, the Blue Jackets saw their stock soar during a scintillating 18-2-3 run before it plummeted sharply with losses in six straight games (0-3-3) for the first time in nearly three years. "I'm not worried about (confidence)," Columbus coach John Tortorella said. "We have the proper mindset of how we're trying to approach this and we'll get ready to play the next game."

TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: NBCS Philadelphia, FS Ohio, Sportsnet

ABOUT THE FLYERS (33-20-7): Carter Hart also finds himself wrapped up in the Jekyll and Hyde theme, with the second-year goaltender turning aside 28 shots on Tuesday to improve to 15-2-2 with an NHL-leading 1.62 GAA and .943 save percentage at home. Hart's numbers, however, take a significant dip on the road (3-10-1, 3.88 GAA, .855 SP). Captain Claude Giroux carries a season-high six-game point streak (three goals, eight assists) into the rematch with Columbus, against which he has collected one goal and three assists in the first three meetings. Travis Konecny reached the 20-goal plateau for the third straight season with his goal on Tuesday, while the forward's second assist on the club's final tally set a career high in points (51).

ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (30-19-12): Oliver Bjorkstrand continued his sizzling stretch by scoring his club-best 20th goal in the second period on Tuesday, giving him 13 tallies and 18 points in his last 16 games. Zach Werenski was part of the pretty passing sequence that set up Bjorkstrand's goal, with the defenseman picking up his 16th point (10 goals, six assists) in his last 22 games. "We're in our home building. It is a big game for us. We know what the standings are right now. It is going to be a lot of fun playing at Nationwide (Arena) again, and we are looking forward to it," the 22-year-old Werenski said.

OVERTIME

1. Columbus swept Philadelphia in the four-game season series in 2018-19.

2. The Flyers have received a goal from a defenseman in five consecutive contests.

3. Blue Jackets G Elvis Merzlikins fell to 0-3-2 in his last five starts after yielding four goals on eight shots on Tuesday.

PREDICTION: Blue Jackets 4, Flyers 1