The Philadelphia Flyers prospects earned a two-game split with their New York Rangers counterparts in the 2025 Rookie Series at PPL Center in Allentown. After skating to a comeback 4-3 win on Friday, John Snowden's squad sustained a 5-2 loss in a fight-filled match on Saturday.
A pair of third-year pros, defenseman Ethan Samson and winger Alexis Gendron scored period goals on Saturday. The Flyers trailed, 2-0 and 3-1, but got back within 2-1 and then 3-2. Two power play goals for New York, scored at 5-on-4 (Scott Morrow) and 5-on-3 (Jaroslav Chmelar), figured heavily in New York taking a 4-2 lead into the late stages of the game. Finally, a late empty net goal (Gabe Perrault) sealed the final 5-2 outcome.
"I didn't think it was great hockey by either side if you really look at it. It was pretty sloppy, which is to be expected in these kinds of games. Back-to-back games. Guys haven't done it in months and months," Snowden said.
"I thought it was a physical game; a lot of bite in the game. It was good to see some of the guys, the young guys, get involved. Overall, I wasn't surprised. I thought we had a good first game. We made some positive plays. The next day, you're feeling pretty good about yourself. It's hard to beat the same team two times in a row."
Nikita Grebenkin, who scored the overtime winner on Friday, assisted on both Flyers goals on Saturday. Gendron tallied a goal in both games. Meanwhile, after going the distance in goal on Friday, Carson Bjarnason (14 saves on 17 shots) split Saturday's game with camp invite Joey Costanzo (10 saves on 11 shots).
Morrow was the biggest standout on the New York side. Over the two games, the offensive-minded former Carolina Hurricanes defenseman notched five points. Callum Tung (21 saves on 23 shots) went the distance in net for the Rangers on Sunday.
Postgame 5
1. He's small and he's still working on rounding out his overall game. Even so, Gendron has always shown a knack for scoring goals. He's also an above-average skater. As much as the two goals he sniped in the two-game series, Gendron was most pleased with the situational opportunities Snowden gave him
in the two matches.
"I think my game has grown," the 21-year-old Gendron said. "I killed penalties in the two games, which is big for me."
Gendron, who scored a shorthanded goal on Friday, credited close friend and Rookie Series linemate Jacob Gaucher with providing some tips that he put to use in his PK ice time over the weekend.
2. Snowden praised the work 2025 first-round Draft pick Jack Nesbitt turned in over the weekend. Centering the top line with Alex Bump and Samu Tuomaala, Nesbitt made numerous good plays with the puck, especially in Friday's game, and also showed a feisty and competitive side.
"He made a couple of good plays (Friday) on entries. Beat some guys one-on-one and made the next play after that. He showed good hands. Also, he thinks both sides of the rink. And when there was a scrum on the ice, he was involved in it," Snowden said.
"There's so many attributes of his game that you've got to love. Think about his game, what it is now, and then envision what it can be. That's a pretty exciting player."
3. Even back in junior hockey, Samson's shot was his best attribute. After notching a dozen goals for the Phantoms last season, offensive defenseman Samson sniped a beautiful goal on a perfect shot from above the left circle in Saturday's game.
Snowden said that Samsom is still working on refining other parts of his game.
"We're working through it. It's kind of a catch-22 with him. One of his greatest attributes is that he's able to transfer the puck with his feet up the rink. Watch him through the neutral zone, he's able to (start the attack). That's a skill that not a lot of people have, the ability to skate the puck up the rink," the coach said.
"But there are times, once he gets the boots going, that he misses plays when there's a (better) decision to make. He tries to skate himself all the way into the zone."
The coach said that he doesn't want Samson to lose that attribute. It's just a matter of recognizing when to make an aggressive play and when to keep things simpler.
For his part, Samson said the key is to size up his options a little quicker.
"You want to make plays but you don't want to give (the puck) away. Sometimes, if there's an easier play, you have to make that....I've had Snowy as an assistant coach for two years and I have nothing but good things to say so far. He gives you leeway to make plays," Samson said.
4. Tuomaala (5-foot-11, 196 pounds) is a player who's game is built around his offensive skills and shooting ability. On Saturday, he found himself in an unaccustomed spot.
During an after-the-whistle scrum in the third period, the Finnish forward dropped the gloves and engaged in the first fight of his career (either in North America or Liiga in Finland). He's never had more than 30 penalty minutes for an entire pro season.
5. Spencer Gill, a Flyers' 2024 second-round pick, has opened eyes during the Rookie Camp and Rookie Series. Although he did not play as well on Saturday as he did in Game 1, there were several shifts in which the 6-foot-4, 213-pound defenseman also showed off the rangy mobility and quick stick that have made him a potential Team Canada candidate for the IIHF World Championships.
Snowden said that even though Gill is coming back from an ankle injury in the latter part of the 2024-25 season, the player does things on a daily basis that have made him stand out in a positive way.
