The Flyers yielded the game's first two goals. They rallied in the third behind goals by Scott Laughton and Jakub Voracek. Steve Mason made 34 saves in regulation and overtime but it was not enough as Brandon Dubinsky scored the game winner in the shootout to give Columbus a 3-2 win on Saturday night.
The Flyers had an early chance as Ryan Johansen got called for tripping at 3:42 of the first period. Columbus was able to kill off the penalty and the game remained scoreless.
They would get another chance with the man advantage just three minutes later when Dalton Prout was whistled for boarding. Once again, Columbus killed off the penalty. The Blue Jackets had the best chance on the Flyers power play as Gregory Campbell went in on a breakaway but Mason was up to the challenge.
Columbus would get their first power play of the night at 12:01 of the first when Scott Laughton was called for hooking. They offcially didn't score on the man advantage. Brandon Saad did beat Mason as time expired on the penalty.
Saad's 12th goal of the season was the only tally of the period and the teams went to the locker room with Columbus up 1-0.
Claude Giroux would take an early penalty as the Flyers captain was called for interference just 3:51 into the second period. The Flyers penalty killers did a better job this time and Mason made a few nice saves to keep the game 1-0.
Following the kill, both teams had chances as play opened up. The Flyers had two chances in a span of 30 seconds where they outnumbered Columbus on the rush but never fired a shot on net. The Blue Jackets had a good rush of their own but Mason stood tall.
The Blue Jackets would get and capitalize on power play late in the second. R.J. Umberger got called for a four minute double minor for high sticking with just over four minutes left in the period. Umberger got lazy with his stick as he was going to the bench for a line change and clipped David Clarkson.
Ryan Murray scored his third of the season on the second half of the double minor to give the Blue Jackets a 2-0 lead. Murray fired the puck from the point through a heavy screen and beat Mason high to the blocker side for the goal.
Columbus outshot Philadelphia 10-9 in the period and held a 26-19 lead after twenty minutes and took the 2-0 to the room.
Matt Read would take a penalty early in the third period. Read was called for goalie interference just 2:11 in. Read appeared to be pushed into the Blue Jackets goalie.
The Flyers killed off the minor and went to work. After a solid 45 seconds of possesion in the Blue Jackets zone, Scott Laughton took the puck near the blue line and danced into the circle before firing a wrist shot that beat Joonas Korpisalo to put the Flyers on the board.
The goal was Laughton's fourth of the season.
With just under six minutes to play, Jakub Voracek tied the game at 2-2 with his third of the season. Shayne Gostisbehere started the rush in his own end sending Voracek and Sean Couturier on their way. After a perfect give and go, Voracek beat Korpisalo.
The third period ended with the score tied and the teams went to overtime.
Despite excellent chances for both teams, the teams would not decide the game in overtime and they would go to the shootout.
It was more of the same for Philadelphia in the shootout. Wayne Simmonds scored the lone goal while Cam Atkinson and Brandon Dubinsky tallied to give Columbus the 3-2 victory. The win was the first of the season for Joonas Korpisalo.
The Flyers are in action on Monday night when they host the St. Louis Blues.
Bill Minchin is a contributing writer for Flyerdelphia. Follow Bill on Twitter @wtfd103074
