Flyers-Blue Jackets Preview

After being unceremoniously benched in the last outing, star forward Ryan Johansen looks to return with a vengeance when the Columbus Blue Jackets host the Metropolitan Division-rival Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

The decision to park Johansen comes 48 hours after Tortorella benched the 23-year-old for the entire third period of Tuesday’s 5-1 loss to Dallas.

Said Tortorella: “It’s just a reset for him, in understanding – trying to have him understand – what we’re looking for, not just in the points but in the play”.

“From where I was standing, Jake had him beat clearly, and he did it on objective”, said Simmonds, whose team had two power plays – four fewer than Columbus.

Johansen, with 6 goals and 16 assists in 31 games, entered the game as his team’s No. 2 scorer.

He played 11:03 in the first two periods on 15 shifts.

Columbus won 3-2 after Brandon Dubinsky scored the winning goal to seal the Blue Jackets’ second win on the trot.

Veteran defenseman Luke Schenn (left ankle/foot) got hurt late in the December 5 game against the Blue Jackets. Neuvirth leads the National Hockey League in save percentage (.937) and has posted an 8-4-2 record and 2.06 goals against average to date. Philly is 1-7-1 in its last nine games against the Blue Jackets, dating back to the 2013-14 season.

Brandon Saad and Ryan Murray scored to give Columbus a 2-0 lead. He skated past two Blue Jackets, and then snapped a high shot from the right circle. “But it’s hard to do anything here but draw the conclusion that Columbus doesn’t believe that Ryan Johansen will live up to his potential when they have to really pay him a year from now”.

Johansen is coming off a career season, in which he racked up 71 points and impressed at the 2015 All-Star Game in Columbus.

Tortorella benched Johansen in his first game with the team, and it was thereafter reported that the notoriously rigid coach told the young center that he though he was out of shape during intermission. Johansen centered Nick Foligno and Boone Jenner and did not let the benching get to him. Curtis McElhinney, who allowed one goal on seven shots in relief of Korpisalo against the Stars, stopped 27 of 32 shots against Arizona.

But on Saturday night, the Blue Jackets wouldn’t have survived without him. His partner, D Jack Johnson, missed a second straight game with an upper-body injury.

“I love this group of guys and I love throwing on the Blue Jacket jersey and I’ve got to learn from it, I’ve got to be a pro about it”, Johansen said.