2025 Rookie Series: Flyers vs. Rangers; Game 2 Preview

Last night, the Philadelphia Flyers defeated the New York Rangers, 4-3, to take the advantage in the 2025 Rookie Series.

In the 2024 Rookie Series between the Flyers and Rangers, each game required extra hockey. That trend continued with an overtime game-winning goal scored by Nikita Grebenkin to seal the victory.

New York jumped out to a two-goal lead due to efforts from Brennan Othmann and Dylan Roobroeck. In the second period, Denver Barkey and Alexis Gendron (shorthanded) tied the game until Raoul Boilard reclaimed the lead for the Rangers. Then, Jacob Gaucher tied the game, 3-3, in the third period to force the extra three-on-three overtime session. Grebenkin sank the overtime game-winner, ripped off a drop pass by Karsen Dorwart, 0:57 into the additional period.

Philadelphia wasn’t without its warts, but they remained true to their style of play, igniting the late comeback. Sawyer Boulton went toe-to-toe with Corbin Vaughan, then out the rest of the New York bench as he fired up the crowd at the PPL Center before heading to the locker room. Tonight’s finale of the 2025 Rookie Series has all the ingredients to create a spicy recipe.

When: 5:00pm/EST
Where: PPL Center; Allentown, PA
Watch: Philadelphia Flyers Team Website

John Snowden, the new head coach of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, felt ‘a lot of players stood out’ in the 4-3 win. He cited Barkey and Grebenkin, who each scored. Alex Bump is another forward who advanced his game. Defensively, Snowden name-dropped Spencer Gill and Ethan Samson. Carson Bjarnason, who had an uncomfortable first period, settled in to pick up the win.

Snowden sounded satisfied with the performances of Barkey, Samson, and Gill last night, and that could be an indicator of who will be swapped out for prospects like Nathan Quinn, Oliver Bonk, and Austin Moline. Joey Costanzo will start to conclude the 2025 Rookie Series between the Flyers and Rangers.

This lineup is subject to change.

Projected Lineup: Philadelphia Flyers

Bump-Nesbitt-Tuomaala
Grebenkin-Dorwart-Gendron
Quinn-Gaucher-Kaplan
Boulton-Gard-Robertson

McDonald-Vlooswyk
Mondoux-Bonk
Murchison-Moline

Costanzo
(Bjarnason)