Game Day Edition: Philadelphia Flyers @ Columbus Blue Jackets

Philadelphia Flyers @ Columbus Blue Jackets 

Saturday, December 21st, 2013, 7:00 PM 

Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio

Dec 19, 2013; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Flyers defenseman

(26) scores goal past Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman

(58) and goalie

(31) during the third period at Wells Fargo Center. The Flyers defeated the Blue Jackets, 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

I’ll keep this one short, as this will be the second game between the Blue Jackets and Flyers in the last two days. After what could be considered one of the worst losses in franchise history, the Columbus Blue Jackets look to redeem themselves at Nationwide Arena. If the Blue Jackets that showed up during the 2nd period of Thursday’s game make an appearance, things could go well tonight. I think I speak for every Jackets fan when I say we would never like to see the Columbus team from the third period ever again.

After two big wins against Metropolitan Division teams, Columbus has been on a December decline. They allowed the Blues and the Flyers to come back in games they could have easily won, and failed to show up early against the Winnipeg Jets. After a promising start to the month, things are not looking good in Columbus right now.

Fortunately, key players are returning to the lineup, as Marian Gaborik, James Wisniewski, and even Nathan Horton are nearing a return. If the Jackets can get these players back soon, and also manage to somehow not lose anyone else to injuries, they may finally have a roster that resembles the one they planned for at the start of the season.

I saw a lot of people putting blame on Curtis McElhinney for the 3rd period collapse. While he did let in some soft goals, I cannot fault him for the fluke bouncing puck goal or Claude Giroux‘s game winner. That is the type of goal that very few goalies (if any) could stop. It is already in the running for goal of the year and was just a case of poor luck for Columbus; the perfect shot at the most inopportune moment.

Until Sergei Bobrovsky returns, McElhinney is the best option Columbus has and was the only reason that the Blue Jackets weren’t completely shelled in a terrible first period on Thursday.

The Jackets need to treat Thursday’s game like the Edmonton blowout and just pretend it didn’t happen. They may also want to forget their last meeting against the Flyers (before Thursday) which was a 9-2 beating back in 2011. Lessons have to be learned, but after that they cannot dwell on the fact that the Flyers seem to have their number right now.

We’ll skip the stats and game notes today and just skip right to the Union and Blue Song For the Game.

Union and Blue Song For the Game:

Katy Perry – “Hot N Cold”

I kinda hate myself for picking this one, but is there any better song to describe the Jackets right now? When #BipolarCBJ is a thing and comparisons are being made to Jekyll and Hyde, then I’d say it is.