Ride the momentum: Blue Jackets at Flyers preview

Jakub Voracek and the Columbus Blue Jackets arrive in Philadelphia for a 7 PM matchup with the Flyers. Both franchises are clearly out of the playoff race, so this will be the rare game where the Flyers can look a bit dominant. Carter Hart is expected to get the start.

The Flyers’ projected lineup:

Flyers lines and pairings tonight against the Blue Jackets:

Farabee-Frost-Atkinson
JvR-Hayes-Tippett
Cates-Laughton-Konecny
Lindblom-Thompson-Brown

Provorov-York
Sanheim-Ristolainen
Yandle-Attard

Hart

— Jamey Baskow (@JameyBaskow) April 5, 2022

Since losing forwards Alexander Texier and Boone Jenner, the Blue Jackets’ offense doesn’t have the same snap that it used to. They’ve always had solid goaltending and a respectable defensive system, but the firepower is lacking even with Patrik Laine and Jakub Voracek.

Then there’s the Philadelphia Flyers coming off of an underdog road win in New York on Sunday. A tanking team with a lack of talent, system, and even defense at times, yet they are beginning to look … confident?

Call me crazy, but it looks like these Flyers players are gaining confidence despite losing a majority of their games. James Van Riemsdyk can suddenly score again. Owen Tippett and Morgan Frost are flipping the script. Cam York is beginning to show up on the stat sheet regularly.

On repeat all day. TIPPETT! pic.twitter.com/URKQLqvq1b

— TLY (@TheLibertyYell) April 3, 2022

While I would trade all of this for one single playoff game, I’m glad to see it now instead of never. It’s truly the only reason to keep following the team nightly from a fan’s perspective.

I would’ve shit my pants if he daggered this. pic.twitter.com/dDm45iZux9

— TLY (@TheLibertyYell) April 4, 2022

Now they face a team almost in the same boat as them while at home. I want to see the Flyers snowball that confidence and turn it up to 100 tonight. A part of me feels like they could really take it to the Blue Jackets. Morgan Frost moving up to the first line alongside Joel Farabee and Cam Atkinson is exciting and I can’t wait to see if they click.

My reads on this team have been far too wrong for me to lock that in though. This is only the 16th time this season the Flyers have been favored by the oddsmakers and they’ve only won six times.

Just give me a highlight to replay.

Mandatory Credit: Philadelphia Flyers