Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets thwart Philadelphia Flyers

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Columbus Blue Jackets generated just enough offense and Sergei Bobrovsky took care of the rest.

Alexander Wennberg scored in the second period, Bobrovsky posted his seventh shutout of the season and the Blue Jackets ended a two-game losing streak with a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday afternoon at Nationwide Arena.

The Blue Jackets (48-19-7) are the only team in the NHL this season that has avoided a skid longer than two games. They had suffered a hard-fought loss in a shootout to the Washington Capitals on Thursday night after falling at home to the Toronto Maple Leafs the previous night.

"You just want to continue to get better and move up in the

standings," Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno said. "It doesn't matter how you're winning as long as you're getting the job done."

The win moved the Blue Jackets into a tie for second place in the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Columbus trails the first-place Washington Capitals, who played Saturday night at home against the Arizona Coyotes, by one point in the race for the Presidents' Trophy.

The Flyers (34-32-8) were desperate for a win to keep their fading playoff hopes alive in the Eastern Conference but lost for the 10th consecutive time in Columbus. Philadelphia has not won in Nationwide Arena since Dec. 13, 2005. It is the Blue Jackets' longest home win streak against any opponent in team history.

The loss kept the Flyers in 12th place in the East, six points out of a wild-card playoff spot prior to Saturday's later games.

Bobrovsky was outstanding again in goal for the Blue Jackets. He made 36 saves in posting his NHL-leading 40th win of the season. He had 44 stops two nights earlier against the Capitals.

"It's fair to say he had a huge impact on the hockey game tonight," Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said.

Wennberg scored the only goal of the game and his 13th of the season at 13:11 of the second period on a redirect of a shot from near the right circle from Kyle Quincy.

"Guys were battling and put their bodies on the line," Blue Jackets forward Scott Hartnell said. "That's what you need to win. Hat's off to everybody."

But there is some concern that the Blue Jackets aren't capitalizing on their chances to score and with their power play. They were 0 of 2 on the power play against the Flyers.

"We can't rely on bob all the time," Blue Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky said, referring to his goalie. "But he's that good."

The Flyers controlled much of the action through all three periods but could not solve Bobrovsky. Philadelphia outshot Columbus 36-21.

"We put a lot of shots on the net," Flyers right winger Jakub

Voracek said. "But nobody cares. We lost the game."

Time and again Bobrovsky bailed out the Blue Jackets as he was peppered by the Flyers while tying a franchise record with his 19th career shutout. He is 9-0-2 in his last 11 games.

"He's just locked in," Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella said.

"There's not a lot of extra movement. He's confident."

Flyers goaltender Michal Neuvirth finished with 20 saves.

"When you face the hottest goalie in the league, you've got to be in his face the whole game," Neuvirth said. "We've got to do a better job."

NOTES:

-- Blue Jackets G Sergei Bobrovsky's 44 saves in a shootout loss at Washington on Thursday night were a season high.

-- Zach Werenski and Seth Jones are the first two Columbus defensemen with 40 points in a season in franchise history.

-- The Flyers' last win over the Blue Jackets was in March 2016.

-- RW Wayne Simmonds collected his 300th career point with the Flyers in Thursday's win over Minnesota.

-- The Flyers began their 16th back-to-back of the season. They travel to Pittsburgh on Sunday.

-- Blue Jackets RW Oliver Bjorkstrand missed his second straight game after a hard check into the boards during Wednesday's game against Toronto.