If tonight’s game heads into overtime or a shootout, it may as well be counted against the Philadelphia Flyers (34-23-12) like a loss. In pursuit of the postseason, the Columbus Blue Jackets (37-22-11) are five points ahead of the Flyers in the NHL Metropolitan Division. A point or two for the Blue Jackets toward the NHL Standings would be devastating to Philadelphia.
“There’s pressure moments in games, and you try to deal with the moment of the pressure. We dealt with it pretty good; knowing the time and score, when to go, when not to go. We did a good, nice job. Obviously, we got to stay out of the penalty box. Sometimes, we’ve taken some questionable penalties at the wrong time, but game management’s getting better, which is something I’ve been preaching all year. Then, execution; we’re still looking for execution. We’re getting better at it, but there’s got to be execution all over the ice. I think there was about two and a half minutes left, three minutes left; we were playing San Jose [San Jose Sharks], and actually, I showed the team the video: it was Catesy [Noah Cates] out there, and I think Hath [Garnet Hathaway], they were going. We’re forechecking, we’re not backing off; like we got to get in that mode. You want to be calculated, but you don’t want to back up. We want to play the game the right way, and that’s hard; there’s a time and place to go. I just like that shift; they hemmed them in for thirty to forty seconds. That helped the five-on-six, too, because then we were a little bit more aggressive.” – Rick Tocchet; 3/24/2026
This season, history hasn’t been kind. The Flyers are 0-1-1 when facing Columbus. However, Philadelphia is heating up on a six-game points streak, including five wins. The one loss? That would be the Blue Jackets in a shootout.
“We lost in overtime, two-one. We didn’t really like our game. We didn’t really attack. It wasn’t one of our better games over the last couple of weeks, but I will say, hanging in there, being resilient; they got some fast players over there that can score. Werenski [Zach Werenski]; he’s one of the Norris [Norris Trophy] candidates. Marchenko [Kirill Marchenko], who’s a hell of a player. They got these guys that are game breakers; got to keep them in check. I thought we were pretty good against them; they still had their looks, but I think that’s maybe a positive that we hung in there defensively. We’ve got to supply offense tonight. As much as it is a big game, we need shots, we need people to make plays. We just can’t be slapping pucks around and backing up. That’s not going to win a game. That’s the attitude tonight.” – Rick Tocchet; 3/24/2026
A dive into the metrics supports the record on tap between the Flyers and Columbus. The Blue Jackets have an edge on the power play (20.3%; 17th), at the faceoff dot (50.5%; 15th), and in goal scoring (3.17GF/GP; 13th). Philadelphia has a narrow advantage in the penalty kill (77.9%; 22nd) and goals against (3GA/GP; 13th). The recipe for a win has to include a disciplined approach with terrific goaltending.
So, do the Flyers have it in them to stop the sweep with a regulation win? This is a must-win.
The puck drops at 7:00pm/ET from Xfinity Mobile Arena (The Call Center) on ESPN+ or Hulu.
Injury Report: Philadelphia Flyers
Tyson Foerster (Arm)
Rodrigo Ābols (Ankle)
Sean Couturier (Upper-Body; Game-Time Decision)
Luke Glendening (Lower-Body; Game-Time Decision)
Denver Barkey (Upper-Body; Game-Time Decision)
Injury Report: Columbus Blue Jackets
Brendan Smith (Knee)
Where: Xfinity Mobile Arena; Philadelphia, PA
When: 3/24/2026; 7pm/ET
TV Broadcast: ESPN+/Hulu
Last Game PHI: 3/21/26; 4-1 W; at San Jose Sharks
Last Game CBJ: 3/22/26; 1-0 L; at New York Islanders
Philadelphia Flyers
Daniel Vladař (23-11-7; 90.8%SV, 2.41GAA) will start. He’ll be the backbone of Philadelphia, as he’s often been throughout the season. If the Flyers are going to be on the right side of a result versus Columbus, it’ll start with Vladař.
Matvei Michkov (16G, 21A) and Owen Tippett (24G, 18A) are running hot. Michkov tallied four assists during the California road trip, including one on a game-winning power play goal scored by Christian Dvorak (14G, 27A) against the Sharks. Tippett is averaging just above four shots on goal in the last five games. He’s finding a way to pepper goaltenders, not limited to even-strength hockey. A shorthanded goal against the Minnesota Wild sent Philadelphia into overtime and the eventual shootout, where the Flyers ended up stealing a critical victory.
Jamie Drysdale (7G, 20A) has improved tremendously this season. In San Jose, he kept up with that trend. Drysdale added 1SOG, 3BLK, and a +1 rating in 17:12TOI en route to a convincing 4-1 win. He’s been sturdy for Philadelphia, and frankly, the best RD in the lineup.
Projected Lineup: Philadelphia Flyers
Alex Bump – Christian Dvorak – Travis Konecny
Denver Barkey – Trevor Zegras – Owen Tippett
Carl Grundström – Noah Cates – Matvei Michkov
Luke Glendening – Sean Couturier – Garnet Hathaway
Travis Sanheim – Rasmus Ristolainen
Cam York – Jamie Drysdale
Nick Seeler – Noah Juulsen
Daniel Vladař
(Sam Ersson)
Projected Lineup: Columbus Blue Jackets
Mason Marchment – Adam Fantilli – Kirill Marchenko
Kent Johnson – Sean Monahan – Conor Garland
Cole Sillinger – Charlie Coyle – Mathieu Olivier
Isac Lundeström – Boone Jenner – Danton Heinen
Zach Werenski – Damon Severson
Ivan Provorov – Dante Fabbro
Denton Mateychuk – Erik Gudbranson
Jet Greaves
(Elvis Merzlikins)
