Columbus Blue Jackets’ Elvis Merzlikins, Jake Bean leave game against Philadelphia Flyers

Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The nightmare continues. Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender

Elvis Merzlikins left Tuesday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers with an apparent lower-body injury.

Merzlikins could not put any weight on his left leg following Noah Cates’ second-period goal. Joonas Korpisalo, who dealt with his own injury issues earlier in the season, finished the game in a 5-4 victory for Columbus.

Defenseman Jake Bean also left the game during the second period after taking a hit in the corner. The team is currently without some key players due to injury. Star defenseman Zach Werenski is expected to miss the rest of the season after suffering a shoulder injury earlier this month. Patrik Laine is out for at least a month with an ankle injury, just a few weeks after returning from an ankle injury. Jakub Voracek, Adam Boqvist, Nick Blankenburg and Justin Danforth are all also on injured reserve with various ailments.

The season, which was supposed to see much more success with the inclusion of Johnny Gaudreau, has been a total nightmare for the Blue Jackets. The team sits last in the Metropolitan Division with a 4-9-2 record, finally hitting double-digit points on Tuesday. Only the Anaheim Ducks (nine) have fewer points this season.

So this only makes things worse.

Nothing is known about the status of Merzlikins or Bean, but absences for both could prove dangerous for the team’s hopes of turning things around. Daniil Tarasov is Columbus’ third goalie, and would likely be called back up after starting the season filling Korpisalo’s spot.

The Blue Jackets’ beaten blue line will likely result in Gavin Bayreuther slotting in the lineup and Vladislav Gavrikov taking on more time.

Regardless of what happens, the Blue Jackets need help. They currently have $1.7 million in cap space, but you have to imagine they’ll look to make some moves in the season to fill some glaring holes. Regardless of what happens to Merzlikins and Bean. the team is in for a bumpy few weeks ahead.