Columbus Blue Jackets 3 Keys in Philadelphia Flyers Matchup

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – MARCH 15: Wayne Simmonds #17 of the Philadelphia Flyers in action against Jack Johnson #7 of the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 15, 2018 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Len Redkoles/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Three keys to the Columbus Blue Jackets getting a win over the Philadelphia Flyers.

Tonight the Columbus Blue Jackets return home to take on a Metro division rival as they look to forget about the 8-2 loss suffered on Saturday. The Tampa Bay Lightning laid the hammer down on the Jackets that led to a few days of tough practice for the squad upon their arrival back in Ohio.

After a four day break though the team is back in action and Sergei Bobrovsky will be in net for the Blue Jackets against the Philadelphia Flyers. The CBJ’s Metro foe is coming off a Tuesday night home shootout win over the Florida Panthers.

The Flyers, as always, are dealing with goaltending issues and pulled Brian Elliott early in the third period against the Panthers. Calvin Pickard came in and finished the game up and secure a shootout win.

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The Jackets return to Nationwide for the first time in nine days. Tonight, the Jackets will wear the beautiful third jerseys for the first time all season.

Beyond the power of the cannon crest on the chest and the fact that Gritty doesn’t travel, there are three keys to the Jackets pulling out a much needed home win.

Key #3: Alexander Wennberg Playing his Game

COLUMBUS, OH – APRIL 3: Alexander Wennberg #10 of the Columbus Blue Jackets skates against the Detroit Red Wings on April 3, 2018 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Sabau/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Alexander Wennberg /

The top line for the Columbus Blue Jackets is humming along just fine. Pierre-Luc Dubois isn’t playing at an exceptional level but he is playing just fine for a second year pro. Cam could use a few more chances but is taking advantages of those chances he gets and Artemi Panarin is tearing it up yet again.

But this team is really dangerous when Alexander Wennberg and the second line is rolling. As much as it makes Jackets fans furious, Wennberg isn’t going to shoot the puck four times a game. That isn’t what makes him a great second line center. Stop screaming for him to shoot the puck so often and let the man make opportunities for the finishers on his wing.

Wennberg’s vision and passing are what make him a deadly playmaker. If he can get back to that game and put Anthony Duclair and Nick Foligno in scoring position, the Jackets will be in good shape to get their fourth win of the season.

Both Foligno and Duclair are off to great starts of the year and this line has formed some good chemistry in the two games they have been placed together. The Jackets had a few more practices this week that certainly couldn’t have hurt the three continuing to mesh together. Wennberg finding these two finishers in scoring position is a big key to the team’s success tonight.

Key #2: Avoiding a 2nd Period Collapse

TAMPA, FL – OCTOBER 13: The Tampa Bay Lightning score a goal against Sergei Bobrovsky #72 and the Columbus Blue Jackets during the second period at Amalie Arena on October 13, 2018 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Scott Audette/NHLI via Getty Images) /

To say the second period hasn’t been kind to the Columbus Blue Jackets is an understatement. In five games the Jackets have gave up nine goals in the second period that have been back breakers.

To watch this team come out and dominate the first period of games and then just sleep walk for the second twenty minutes is mind boggling. It has to turn around and it started to come around agains the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday, but they still gave up a goal after starting to rally.

There isn’t a schematic change that needs to be made or a coaching adjustment of any kind. The Jackets just have to be dialed in all game. The team has had four days to stew on their issues and hopefully their second period lapses was one of those issues.

It may be a silly stat to look at but the Flyers have been great in the second period over the last four games. They have scored nine second period goals in the last four games including five in the second period on Tuesday agains the Panthers. Not a great sign if you are the Jackets.

Key #1: Bob Playing like Bob

COLUMBUS, OH – OCTOBER 9: Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of the Columbus Blue Jackets warms up prior to the start of the third period during the game against the Colorado Avalanche on October 9, 2018 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Columbus defeated Colorado 5-2. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /

Sergei Bobrovsky will be in net tonight for his fourth start of the year and the number one key to a Jackets win tonight is for Bob to play like the Bob we know and love. He is coming off a game where he gave up eight goals on only 31 shots. Beyond awful for any goaltender but particularly baffling when you consider that it happened against the only active two time Vezina trophy winner in the league.

But at the end of the day the stat line doesn’t reflect Bob’s performance against Tampa Bay. Yes, he gave up a few goals he normally doesn’t but there wasn’t a goalie in the world that wouldn’t have given up six goals to that Tampa team that night. The Jackets defense was terrible in front of him and the Bolts just weren’t going to be stopped.

Tonight the Jackets need to give Sergei at least an average defensive effort to give him an opportunity to stand out. With four days off to regroup, the team will give him at least that level of play.

Bob will be in a good place and will bounce back and have a great game. I see Bob coming close to pitching his first shutout of the season against the Flyers.

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What do you think the keys to the Jackets getting a win tonight are? Let us know in the comments below.

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