The Rangers opened the 2026 Rookie Series with a 3-2 loss to the Flyers on Saturday at PPL Center in Allentown, PA, and the night had a little bit of everything: early pressure, special-teams scoring, breakdowns at even strength, and plenty of bite.
For New York, the most notable performance came from first-round defenseman Alberts Šmits, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. He set up both Rangers goals and flashed the kind of size that jumps off the ice at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds.
But the game also showed the rough edges. Šmits was on for all three Philadelphia goals and had trouble moving the puck in the first period, including several turnovers.
The Rangers’ offense was entirely powered by the man advantage, with both of their goals coming on the power play as they went 2-for-3 at 5-on-4. At five-on-five, though, Philadelphia’s top line made the difference. Jett Luchanko, the former No. 13 overall pick, and winger Alex Bump repeatedly found ways to tilt the ice, and Bump ended up with a hand in two Flyers goals.
New York did bring some physical edge early. Forwards Cole Beaudoin and Spencer Bowes, one of the Rangers’ 2026 draft picks, landed heavy hits to set the tone. Philadelphia answered right back, and the Flyers had the finishing touch when it mattered.
Callum Tung got the start in goal for the Rangers and took the loss despite a solid effort. On the other side, former second-round pick Carson Bjarnason held on for the win after surviving a strong Rangers push in the third period.
Philadelphia got on the board first after a messy sequence in front of the Rangers net. Alex Ciernik stripped Šmits behind the goal line and sent the puck into the slot, where Matthew Gard was able to jam it home at 4:27 of the first period.
Luchanko nearly made it 2-0 later in the opening frame on a breakaway, but Tung shut it down with his pad.
New York answered at 15:15 of the first after Flyers first-rounder Maksim Solokovskii, selected No. 27 overall in 2026, went off for roughing. Šmits worked the puck at the point with Liam Greentree, and Greentree’s shot deflected off Dylan Roobroeck’s stick and past Bjarnason to tie it.
The Rangers had a chance to grab the lead before the period ended when Ty Murchison was called for tripping at 19:11, but Philadelphia killed it and took control in the second. The Flyers eventually broke through at 15:21 when Bump fed Cole Knuble, who slipped behind Tomas Chrenko and finished into the open net.
By then, New York was hanging on. The Flyers also came up empty on a tripping penalty against Bryce McConnell-Barker, and Tung later denied Nathan Quinn on a breakaway.
Philadelphia struck again 45 seconds into the third. Luchanko drove the rush, pulled two defenders toward him, and slid the puck over to Bump for the finish.
The Rangers responded almost immediately. Solokovskii was back in the box for roughing, and New York cashed in on the power play at 1:33 of the third when Nathan Aspinall fired a quick shot from the top of the left circle.
That gave the Rangers some life, but the comeback ran into a wall when Jacob Battaglia was called for tripping at 18:29.
The edge didn’t stop there. After the final horn, the game spilled into a 5-on-5 scrum that included punches exchanged between Murchison and Roobreck at the blue line.
The Rangers and Flyers meet again at 5 p.m. EST on Sunday afternoon to finish the rookie games.
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Former Rangers Defenseman Just Landed In An Awkward Metro Spot
Carson Soucy is back in the Metropolitan Division mix, this time on a professional tryout with the Columbus Blue Jackets as they open training camp. The veteran defenseman, who has spent seven NHL seasons in the league, now gets another chance to carve out a role after splitting last season between the Rangers and Islanders.
For Columbus, the fit is fairly straightforward: Soucy will be in the competition for a third-pairing job or a spot as the extra defenseman. For the Rangers, it is another reminder of how quickly familiar names can pop up elsewhere in the division, and how camp battles can shape the defensive depth chart before the season even begins. [Read more 🡒]