In the first of back-to-back Rookie Games at the PPL Center in Allentown, the Philadelphia Flyers prospects lost to their New York Rangers counterparts, 4-2.
A power play rebound goal by Matt Brown (1st) gave the Flyers a 1-0 lead at 18:59 of the first period. The assists went to Denver Barkey and Bobby Brink.
First period shots on goal were 13 for the Flyers and 12 for the Rangers.
Matt Brown Scores First Period Goal
In the middle stanza, the Rangers quickly tied the game at the 41-second mark with Elliot Desnoyers in the penalty box. Hartford Wolf Pack forward Karl Henriksson (1st) notched a fluky power play goal on a partially blocked shot that went airborne and over Flyers goalie Nolan Meier into the net. The assists went to Brennan Othmann and Matthew Robertson.
A forced turnover under pressure and then a failed clearing opportunity in the defensive zone led to the Rangers capitalizing shortly thereafter to take a 2-1 lead at 15:06 of the second period. Dylan Roobroeck fired a shot home from the deep slot. Matt Rempe got the lone assist.
Philly pulled even to make it 2-2 at 19:29 of the second period. Alex Ciernik (1st) scored from the slot, beating Rangers goalie Dylan Garand cleanly. The sequence started with Jacob Gaucher winning a battle down low and centering the puck to the goal-scorer. Adam Ginning, who had an initial dump-in, was credited with a secondary assist.
Second period shots were 9-7 in the Flyers' favor (22-19 Flyers through two periods).
The Rangers took a 3-2 edge at 9:56 of the third period. Ryder Korczyk (1st) was wide open in the left slot and made no mistake after receiving a pass from Brett Berard. The secondary helper went to Adam Sykora. The goal came against the Flyers' top line.
The Flyers pulled Maier for an extra attacker. At 18:58, Robertson (1st) scored a long-distance empty net goal that deflected into the empty cage off Brink's glove.
Third period shots were 12-7 Flyers (34 Flyers to 26 Rangers for the game).
In goal, Maier shopped 22 of 25 shots for the Flyers. Dylan Garand denied 32 of 34 Philadelphia shots.
FLYERS ROOKIES STARTING LINEUP
82 Alexis Gendron - 73 Elliot Desnoyers - 71 Tyson Foerster
91 Brendan Furry - 52 Denver Barkey - 46 Bobby Brink
38 Matt Brown- 87 Jonathan Fauchon - 56 Samu Tuomaala
45 Alex Ciernik - 78 Jacob Gaucher - 60 Zayde Wisdom
50 Adam Ginning - 59 Oliver Bonk
80 Will Zmolek - 75 Ethan Samson
63 Mason Millman - 65 Carter Sotheran
35 Nolan Maier
[34 Carson Bjarnason]
POSTGAME 5
1) Tyson Foerster had the Flyers first scoring chance of the game on a one-timer from the left slot off a pass from Oliver Bonk. Later, Brink took a lead pass from Mason Millman and had a chance off the rush. For the Flyers, Meier made a couple of nice glove saves and also denied a wraparound attempt in making 12 first period stops.
2) Zayde Wisdom took exception to a hit from hulking Rangers forward Matt Rempe in the first period. Wisdom wasted no time pursuing Rempe and dropping the gloves with his 6-foot-8, 240-pound counterpart. Rempe got the better of the tussle but it took moxie for Wisdom to answer the bell. Later, at 7:14 of the second period, Wisdom drove directly at the net with the puck, crashing into the post and creating a power play for Philadelphia.
3) Although he did not get on the scoresheet, Foerster was heavy on the puck, shot with confidence and asserted himself in 50-50 battles.
4) The Flyers recovered nicely in the latter stages of the second period as an Alexis Gendron turnover in the neutral zone produced a potential breakaway for New York. After catching a break, Philadelphia scored a few shifts later to knot the game at 2-2.
5) Desnoyers made a couple of astute reads during the game that displayed his hockey sense, including a tough keep up high in the offensive zone and well-timed puck support and backchecking at the other end.
