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The Flyers and New York Rangers face off on Saturday in the second and final game of the 2025 Rookie Series. Game time at the PPL Center in Allentown is 5:05 p.m. EDT. The Philadelphia Flyers will stream the game on the team’s official website. Brian Smith handles play-by-play duties with commentary from Jason Myrtetus. Later tonight, Jason and I will record Monday’s edition of Flyers Daily.
Game 1 Recap: Flyers Stage Comeback Victory
The Flyers grabbed Game 1 of the 2025 Rookie Showcase with a 4-3 comeback win in overtime. The Flyers prospects trailed 2-0 after the first period and 3-2 heading into the third period but rallied twice to tie the game.
Denver Barkey, Alexis Gendron (shorthanded) and Jacob Gaucher tallied in regulation. Nikita Grebenkin notched the winning goal in sudden death. Carson Bjarnason went the distance in net (21 saves on 24 shots). The 2023 second-round pick initially struggled in the first period. However, he settled in after thereafter.
Flyers Game 1 lineup:
20 Alex Bump – 73 Jack Nesbitt – 56 Samu Tuomaala
29 Nikita Grebenkin – 23 Karsen Dorwart – 92 Alexis Gendron
52 Denver Barkey – 78 Jacob Gaucher – 12 Devin Kaplan
68 Sawyer Boulton – 86 Matthew Gard – 85 Tucker Robertson
41 Hunter McDonald – 67 Luke Vlooswyk
60 Andre Mondoux – 75 Ethan Samson
96 Ty Murchison – 42 Spencer Gill
64 Carson Bjarnasson
[34 Joey Costanzo]
Did not dress: Jett Luchanko, Oliver Bonk, Nathan Quinn, Austin Moline.
Game 1 Standouts: Forwards
- They didn’t score, but the top-line trio of Bump, Nesbitt and Tuomaala generated extensive puck possession and multiple looks at the net. Bench coach John Snowden (Lehigh Valley Phantoms head coach) double-shifted Bump during portions of the game. He fared well but a goal in the rematch would be a nice finish to the Rookie Series.
- On a shift-in and shift-out basis, Denver Barkey was the most tenacious Flyers player. He also scored the team’s first goal to cut a 2-0 deficit in half. Later, Barkey had two additional Grade A scoring chances.
- Alexis Gendron may be small. He may not have a complete game yet at at the pro level. However, he can do two things quite well. First and foremost, he can score goals. Moreover, he’s an above-average skater. Gendron’s shorthanded goal (after a replay delay) tied the score at 2-2 in the second period.
- NIkita Grebenkin notched the winning goal in sudden death. He scored on an uncontested wrist show from the (very deep, just above the circle) right slot. Grebenkin hadn’t made much impact earlier in the game.However, he delivered when it mattered most.
Flyers Game 1 standouts: Defensemen
- Spencer Gill showed no ill-effects from the ankle injury that sidelined him from the QMJHL playoffs and Memorial Cup earlier this year. While all eyes will be on Bonk (assuming he plays) on Saturday, Gill’s combination of size and mobility make him an intriguing prospect. The Flyers selected Gill in the second round of the 2024 Draft.
- Third-year pro Ethan Samson jumped into the play offensively several times in Friday’s game. Additionally, he also ran the point on the power play.
- Ty Murchison looks like he’ll be a fan favorite in Allentown. He plays a physical and aggressive style.
Game 2 Storylines
The 5 Things preview for Saturday’s game is on PhiladelphiaFlyers.com. Additonal things to track.
- If defenseman Bonk plays on Saturday, will he see power play duty from the bumper or from the point? Meanwhile, how will he fare defensively against Gabriel Perrault?
- Karsen Dorwart and Devin Kaplan quietly played strong games on Friday. How will the two roster bubble players perform in the rematch before NHL camp starts at the end of this week?
- Friday’s game occasionally got feisty. Phantoms/Flyers center Jacob Gaucher dropped the gloves (he showed up, but didn’t fare too well). Later, he scored the game-tying goal in the third period. Subsequently, which player(s) will set a tone on Saturday?
Let’s Go Flyers