Blue Jackets v Flyers: the bold play at Nationwide Arena

Two Metropolitan Division sides anchored in the Eastern Conference basement meet at Nationwide Arena on Sunday 15 November at 11:00 am AEDT, with Columbus Blue Jackets (7–9–0, 14 points) hosting Philadelphia Flyers (5–10–6, 16 points). The Blue Jackets are ranked 29th overall with a 0.438 points percentage; the Flyers 27th at 0.381. Both clubs are coming off losses — Columbus fell 1–4 at home to Florida on Wednesday 11 November, while Philadelphia went down 2–3 in Edmonton on Thursday 12 November — and neither outfit has covered themselves in glory through the early weeks of the campaign.

The market has Columbus at 1.70, Philadelphia out to 2.10, suggesting the bookmaker sees modest home advantage and little separating two clubs struggling to find traction. Kent Johnson leads the Blue Jackets with eight goals and eight assists; Matvei Michkov paces the Flyers with ten goals and five helpers. Both teams leak goals at roughly three per game, and both power plays sit below league average. This is a contest between two sides scrapping to avoid the cellar, and the value proposition hinges on whether Columbus can translate home ice into a result after consecutive home defeats.

Who will win at Nationwide Arena?

Columbus brings a 7–9 record and a minus-12 goal differential into Sunday. Over their last five overall — a span mixing home and away fixtures — the Blue Jackets have gone 2–3, averaging 2.6 goals for and 3.0 against. Losses to Dallas (1–3 away on 1 November), Buffalo (2–5 away on 7 November), and Florida (1–4 at home on 11 November) sandwich wins over Colorado (7–2 at home on 4 November) and Dallas (2–1 at home on 6 November). The Colorado rout inflates the scoring average; strip that result and the offensive output has been anaemic. Since that four-goal drubbing by Florida, Columbus has questions to answer in its own rink.

Philadelphia's last five reads 1–4: losses to Minnesota (2–4 at home on 4 November), the Rangers (2–3 away on 6 November), Calgary (3–4 away on 9 November), and Edmonton (2–3 away on 12 November), with a lone win in Vancouver (3–1 on 10 November). The Flyers are averaging 2.4 goals for and 3.0 against across that stretch, with average loss margins tight at 1.3 goals. Every defeat has been by one or two, suggesting Philadelphia is competitive in most outings but cannot close. The club's 5–10–6 record includes six overtime or shootout losses — points left on the table that would have them closer to the playoff picture.

The only prior meeting this season saw Columbus edge Philadelphia 4–3 in October 2026, a result that offers limited predictive weight given both rosters' volatility. At 1.70, Columbus is priced as though home ice and ladder position guarantee the result. The Flyers' tight loss margins and ability to hang with better opponents make 2.10 worth a second look, particularly when the home favourite has dropped two straight at Nationwide Arena and is conceding 3.19 goals per game on the season.

FAQ

Columbus owns a 7–9 record and sits 29th overall; Philadelphia is 5–10–6, ranked 27th. Both clubs are scrapping near the foot of the Eastern Conference ladder, separated by two points and minimal on-ice quality. The Blue Jackets' home form over their last three at Nationwide Arena reads 2–1, with wins over Dallas (2–1) and Colorado (7–2) before the 1–4 loss to Florida. The Flyers' road woes are well documented — four straight away defeats entering Sunday — but the margins have been slender and the compete level evident. Our nhl predictions lean toward the visitors at 2.10, banking on Philadelphia's knack for keeping games tight and Columbus's recent home wobble offering enough doubt to justify the overs on the underdog.