The highlight of Flyers rookie camp is the series of rookie games played at PPL Center. It offers a chance for prospects to not only get into game action, but prepare for a game in a professional setting with fans in attendance.
Last year, the Flyers swept the two-game series against the New York Rangers rookies. This year, the Rangers reversed the results.
The Flyers suffered a 4-2 loss on Friday night and a 3-1 loss on Saturday night in Allentown.
In Friday’s game, the Flyers took a 1-0 lead late in the first as Matt Brown, a camp invite, put home a rebound off a tip-in by Denver Barkey was stopped for a power-play goal.
Early in the second, the Rangers got the equalizer on the power play with a goal by Karl Henriksson. The Rangers took the lead at 15:06 of the second with a goal by Dylan Roobroeck off the rush.
The Flyers once again scored late in the period, as with just 31 seconds remaining Alex Ciernik scored from the slot off a feed from Jacob Gaucher.
The Rangers took the lead for good at 9:56 of the third with Ryder Korczyk scoring from the slot to make it 3-2. With the Flyers pressing to tie the game, a clearing attempt hit the glove of Bobby Brink and went into the empty net with 1:02 remaining to make it 4-2. Matthew Robertson got the goal to put the game away.
Nolan Maier was in goal for the Flyers and made 22 saves on 25 shots in the loss.
In Saturday’s game, the Rangers opened up a 2-0 lead in the first period. Just 2:14 in, Luke McNamara finished off a wraparound attempt to make it 1-0. With 2:43 remaining in the period, Bobby Trivigno scored from the slot to make it 2-0.
The Flyers lone goal came late in the second period as Zayde Wisdom finished off a feed from Barkey to cut the lead to one.
The one-goal lead held up into the final minute of the third when the Rangers iced the game off a turnover. Trivigno stole the puck at the blue line as the Flyers were on the attack and sped the other way to beat Carson Bjarnason and make it 3-1 with his second of the game.
Bjarnason finished with 19 saves on 22 shots in the loss.
The Flyers conclude rookie camp over the next several days. The team will have practices on Monday and Tuesday to wrap up rookie camp after an off day on Sunday.
