Oliver Bjorkstrand and Patrik Laine each scored a goal to lift the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets to a 2-1 win at Philadelphia on Thursday, sending the Flyers to a 10th consecutive loss.
Boone Jenner assisted on both of the Blue Jackets’ goals. Columbus goaltender Elvis Merzlikins made 33 saves.
Gerry Mayhew scored the lone goal for the Flyers, who got 27 saves from Carter Hart.
By falling to 0-7-3 in the past 10 contests, Philadelphia has its second 10-game skid of the season. The Flyers also lost 10 in a row (0-8-2) from Nov. 18-Dec. 8.
Philadelphia’s Cam Atkinson skated in all alone and fired a shot just wide at 12:50 of the first period.
The Flyers soon turned the puck over and Columbus’ Emil Bemstrom clanged a wrist shot off the post.
The Blue Jackets led 11-9 in shots at the end of the first.
Columbus appeared to go ahead 1-0 at 2:02 of the second, but the goal was nullified after a successful challenge for goaltender interference committed by Alexandre Texier.
Philadelphia’s Ivan Provorov had a solid scoring chance from point blank range at 6:12 but was denied by Merzlikins.
The Blue Jackets took a 1-0 lead at 11:53 of the second after a costly turnover, leading to Bjorkstrand scoring with a nifty backhand.
Philadelphia received a late power play that carried over 27 seconds into the third. The Flyers weren’t able to capitalize, though Joel Farabee and Claude Giroux each nearly scored soon after the power play expired.
Columbus extended its lead to 2-0 at 5:50 when Laine ripped a shot over Hart’s shoulder.
The Flyers then sent a flurry of shots on goal, with Mayhew finally getting one past Merzlikins at 12:40 to halve the deficit. It was Mayhew’s first goal with the Flyers after his two previous NHL goals came with the Minnesota Wild in 2019-20.
Hart was pulled for an extra skater with 2:17 left. The Flyers had several more strong opportunities but couldn’t get the tying tally.
–Field Level Media