Atkinson Scores Twice To Power Blue Jackets Past Flyers 6-3

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Cam Atkinson scored twice in the second period and Sergei Bobrovsky had 32 saves as the Columbus Blue Jackets rallied to beat the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3 on Thursday night.

Atkinson's goals, both set up with on-target passes from Artemi Panarin, were part of a three-goal flurry in a seven-minute span of the second period that saw Columbus tie the score and take the lead for good.

Anthony Duclair, Nick Foligno, Josh Anderson and Sonny Milano also scored for the Blue Jackets.

The rally and victory were especially welcome for the Blue Jackets — and especially Bobrovsky — who had four days off to stew after being routed by Tampa Bay last Saturday night 8-2.

Travis Konecny had a goal and an assist, and Oskar Lindblom and Sean Courturier scored for the Flyers. Backup goalie Calvin Pickard, in a scheduled start ahead of Brian Elliott, stopped 22 shots.

Konecny got credit for his first goal of the year when he redirected a shot from Robert Hagg halfway through the first period.

Duclair answered late in the period with what was the most impressive goal of the game. He fell with the puck in front of the Flyers' goal, popped to his feet, corralled it again and, still off-balance, whacked it between Pickard's pads.

The Flyers took a 2-1 lead with 50 second left in the first period when Courturier lifted a shot over Bobrovsky's shoulder from the top of the right circle.

The Blue Jackets tied it again early in the second when Atkinson, skating hard to the blue paint, tipped in a Panarin pass.

Atkinson buried his second of the night three minutes later, winning a one-on-one battle to the net with Hagg. Foligno made it 4-2, snapping a shot past Pickard's stick side later in the second.

Lindblom got a wrap-around goal early in the third period to pull it to 4-3, but Anderson got another one for Columbus with five minutes left in the game when he grabbed the puck away from a falling Christian Folin in front of the Philadelphia net and capitalized. Milano got the sixth at 2:12.

NOTES:  Corban Knight made his season debut after being out with an upper-body injury. He replaced Mikhail Vorobyev, who was scratched. ... Tortorella said injured defenseman Seth Jones (knee) is skating again. He's expected to be out several more weeks. ... C Nolan Patrick missed his third game with an upper-body injury.

UP NEXT

Philadelphia: Hosts New Jersey on Saturday.

Columbus: Hosts Chicago on Saturday.

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