The Flyers finished the rookie series in convincing fashion Sunday night, rolling past the New York Rangers’ rookie squad 4-1 to complete the sweep.
The score line made it look comfortable, but the game stayed tight until the final minutes. Philadelphia led 2-1 late in regulation before New York pulled its goalie, and the Flyers buried two empty-net goals to widen the gap.
Goaltending held up just fine even though the workload wasn’t heavy. Martin Psohlavec started and kept the Rangers off the board for the first 31 minutes. Marek Sklenicka then came on and allowed one goal over his period and a half in net.
New York’s lone tally came on a strange sequence, with Porter Martone as the only Flyers skater back in the defensive zone. Outnumbered, he couldn’t stop the Rangers from cashing in.
There were lineup tweaks for the rematch, and the top unit featured Jett Luchanko between Porter Martone and Denver Barkey. Barkey wore #86 and the captain’s “C,” while Oliver Bonk and Maksim Sokolovskii opened on defense. That group gave the Flyers plenty to watch on every shift.
Luchanko kept making noise for all the right reasons. After missing camp last season and coming back from a proceedure for a core issue, this camp matters for the Flyers’ 2024 first-round pick.
He looked stronger than he did Saturday, played through contact, protected the puck well and kept finding ways to extend possessions in the offensive zone. He was fast, his passing was clean, and he looked more and more like the player Philadelphia drafted at #13 overall.
He also looked like he got the message about shooting the puck.
Bonk was fired up from the opening faceoff and channeled it well. He settled in quickly and spent the night jumping into the attack while still handling his defensive work.
The Flyers even used him in the bumper spot on the power play. His best moment came on Barkey’s opening goal, when he carried the puck into the zone, drew the coverage, and slid a perfect pass across for the finish.
Sokolovskii stayed impressive as well, and his game was more controlled than it had been Saturday. For a massive young player, he moved with real ease.
He handled the puck calmly, made quick decisions without forcing them, and used his reach and stride to cover ground fast. He was also throwing his weight around with no trouble at all, standing players up at the Rangers blue line.
Barkey kept his usual spark going and gave the Flyers their first goal. Earlier this week, when asked about getting through camp, he said “you gotta earn it, nothing’s a given”. He played like that was the rule all night.
Brek Liske added the second goal, hammering in a rebound from a brutal angle on the goal line with five seconds left in the second period. He also looked good as the high defenseman on the power play and finished as the #3 star.
The Flyers’ man advantage didn’t get many chances, but when it did, the setup was encouraging. Liske worked up high, Bonk operated in the bumper spot, and Luchanko kept slipping sharp passes through the slot.
Noah Powell kept making himself impossible to miss. After finishing Saturday’s game with his gloves off, he was right back at it in Game 2.
His jersey was torn in a fight, and the staff had to piece together something for him at the PPL Center in Allentown. He spent time in the penalty box and later returned to the bench in his shoulder pads before the team handed him a regulation jersey with his name and the #69 on it.
Powell scored the Flyers’ third goal into the empty net while wearing it.
Porter Martone closed the scoring with the second empty-netter, and the Flyers wrapped up the 2026 Rookie Series against the Rangers. They head back to camp at the Training Center in Voorhees tomorrow morning.
In Other News...
Jett Luchanko Is Giving Flyers Fans A Very Intriguing Early Sign
Jett Luchankos first impression in the Flyers Rookie Series opener was the kind that naturally gets attention. The 2024 first-round pick lined up on Philadelphias top rookie line against the Rangers freshmen and helped the Flyers to a 3-2 win, a promising early step as he continues working back to full strength after earlier injuries. It also fit the broader sense around the young forward, who already has NHL playoff experience and arrived in camp with plenty of curiosity attached to his development.
Phantoms coach John Snowden has seen enough of Luchanko to appreciate the details that usually travel well from one level to the next, especially his skating and hockey IQ. There is still more for him to prove as the Rookie Series moves on to a second game at PPL Center, but this opening performance offered Flyers fans a useful reminder of why he remains such an intriguing name in the organization. [Read more 🡒]
Alex Bump Is Giving Flyers Fans A Real Camp Decision To Watch
Alex Bump helped set the tone in the Flyers rookie win over the Rangers at the PPL Center, finishing with a goal and an assist as Philadelphias prospects came away with a 3-2 victory. The top line he skated on with Cole Knuble and Jett Luchanko was lively throughout, giving the organization an early look at a group that could make this camp more interesting than most expected. On the blue line, Maksim Sokolovskii stood out too, mixing physical play with mobility in a performance that added to the overall buzz.
John Snowden and the players did not hide the value of these early games as a measuring stick, especially for prospects trying to separate themselves before the real decisions begin. For Bump, the timing matters even more because this is the kind of camp where a strong impression can change the conversation, and the Flyers will be watching closely to see whether his first breakout showing is the start of something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Prospects Just Gave Fans A Reason To Watch This Season
The Flyers prospect group gave the organization a timely jolt in a 3-2 preseason win over the Rangers prospects, a reminder that the pipeline in Philadelphia has a little more life to it than many outside the room might assume. It was the kind of game that matters less for the standings than for the temperature of the fan base, especially when a young group gets to leave an impression against a division rival in a setting built for evaluation.
Alex Bump delivered the winning goal in the third period, with Matthew Gard and Cole Knuble also finding the net for Philadelphia. Carson Bjarnason looked sharp in goal despite giving up two power-play goals, and defensemen Maksim Sokolovskii and Brek Liske added to the night with notable showings that should keep them in the conversation as camp moves along. [Read more 🡒]