Philly Leader

John Tortorella's Philadelphia Flyers will face off against Dean Evason's Columbus Blue Jackets in Ohio on Tuesday night. The game, set to begin at 7:00 p.m. EST at Nationwide Arena, will be broadcast on NBCSP and can be heard on 97.5 The Fanatic with an online simulcast available through Flyers Radio 24/7.

This matchup marks the first of four meetings between these two Metropolitan Division teams this season. Future games are scheduled for December 21st and April 15th at Wells Fargo Center, and January 14th back in Columbus.

The Flyers enter the game after a winless start to December (0-2-1), following a strong end to November with a 4-0-1 record. Their most recent game resulted in a home loss against Utah Hockey Club with a score of 4-2.

Meanwhile, the Blue Jackets have played five games in December so far, holding a record of 2-3-0. They recently secured an impressive victory over the Winnipeg Jets, winning 4-1 thanks to Kent Johnson's two goals and goalie Elvis Merzlikins' performance blocking 24 out of 25 shots.

Five key points stand out for Tuesday's game:

1. Owen Tippett is showing signs of improvement after scoring four goals in his last four games. His recent success includes clicking well with linemate Matvei Michkov.

2. Morgan Frost is seeking redemption after an unfortunate play during Sunday's match against Utah but has shown promise since returning from being scratched earlier this season.

3. Jamie Drysdale returned from injury and showed potential despite having an apparent goal disallowed due to goaltender interference during Sunday's game.

4. The Flyers' special teams have been inconsistent lately, with their penalty kill struggling while their power play shows signs of recovery.

5. On the opposing side, defensemen Zach Werenski and Ivan Provorov are key players for Columbus, contributing significantly both offensively and defensively.