By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
With 11 games to go in the season, the Flyers are experimenting with different combinations and players in the lineup. Two of the newer faces to the group proved to be key contributors on Thursday.
A three-goal second period featured goals by Owen Tippett and Noah Cates, as the Flyers secured a 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Blue Jackets got on the board first in the first period off a miscue by the Flyers. On the power play, Cam Atkinson turned the puck over in the neutral zone and Vladislav Gavrikov led Eric Robinson with a pass. Robinson scored on a breakaway for the shorthanded goal, his ninth of the season at 15:06.
Through 20 minutes, shots were 10-9 Flyers.
It took the Flyers eight minutes of the second to get the game tied off. Another neutral zone turnover sent Kevin Connauton in on a two-on-one. He fired and scored for his first goal of the season and as a Flyer.
Just over five minutes later, the Flyers got the lead. Tippett fired a shot from the left circle that beat Elvis Merzlikins to make it 2-1 at 13:26.
Just over three minutes later at 16:41, Cates scored from an angle to make it a 3-1 game.
Through two periods, shots were 21-19 Flyers.
The Flyers maintained the two-goal margin throughout the third until the final 3:05 of the game. Travis Konecny moved in on goal and put a shot on net that got through Merzlikins to make it 4-1 and cap the scoring.
Martin Jones finished with 26 saves on 27 shots. Merzlikins made 27 saves on 31 shots. Travis Sanheim finished with two assists.
The Flyers get back on the ice on Saturday night to take on the Anaheim Ducks at 7:30 p.m.
Box Score
| 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
| Flyers | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Blue Jackets | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Scoring Summary
1st Period
- CBJ Eric Robinson (9) SH (Vladislav Gavrikov, Sean Kuraly) 15:06
2nd Period
- PHI Kevin Connauton (1) (Unassisted) 8:00
- PHI Owen Tippett (8) (Travis Sanheim, Kevin Hayes) 13:26
- PHI Noah Cates (2) (Ivan Provorov) 16:41
3rd Period
- PHI Travis Konecny (13) (Morgan Frost, Sanheim) 16:55
Game Statistics
| Flyers | Blue Jackets | |
| Shots | 31 | 27 |
| Power Plays | 0/4 | 0/2 |
| Hits | 13 | 18 |
| Faceoff % | 57.1% | 42.9% |
| Giveaways | 2 | 4 |
| Takeaways | 7 | 8 |
| Blocked Shots | 9 | 6 |
| Penalty Minutes | 4 | 8 |
