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Some takeaways from Flyers 5-2 loss to the Rangers

The Flyers didn’t get much going Saturday, losing 5-2 to the Rangers in what was a chippy, choppy contest to close out the two-game Rookie Series.

Posted on by Jason MacNeil
Credit: JustSports/Lehigh Valley Phantoms

Nikita Grebenkin had a pair of assists but that was the high point of what was a choppy, chippy affair between the Flyers and the Rangers Saturday afternoon at PPL Center. The result was a 5-2 loss that concluded the Rookie Series at a win apiece.

The basics

First period: 5:46- Scott Morrow (Dylan Roobroeck)
Second period: 0:51- Jackson Dorrington (Scott Morrow, Brennan Othmann), 5:10- Ethan Samson (Nikita Grebenkin), 11:14- Jaroslav Chmelar (Gabe Perreault, Scott Morrow) (PPG), 15:09- Alexis Gendron (Nikita Grebenkin), 17:19- Noah Laba (Brennan Othmann)
Third period: 17:30- Gabe Perreault (Unassisted) (ENG)
SOG: 23 (PHI) – 31 (NYR)

Some takeaways

Carson returns

Carson Bjarnason played the first half of the Rookie Series finale Saturday afternoon. And he didn’t see a lot of rubber early as the Flyers opened the game with a few strong shifts highlighted by the line of Alex Bump, Jack Nesbitt and Samu Tuomaala. Bjarnason was tested on a quasi-breakaway while New York was short-handed and made the save on the first shot, unlike Friday night. Unfortunately, on the Rangers initial power play, he couldn’t make the save on a Scott Morrow wrister in the slot.

Down 1-0, the Rangers quickly came back down the ice and nearly had their second but the puck didn’t beat the post. Bjarnason stopped 14 of 17 shots he faced before Philadelphia switched goalies midway through the second.

Few tussles

Although there was a few fights Friday night, the Saturday tilt started off chippy. Halfway through the first Brennan Othmann threw a punch at Jack Nesbitt who obviously got under Othmann’s skin, drawing a penalty. The referees weren’t quick to break things up and roughly a minute later both sides were back at it again, although no fights ensued. The parade of penalties didn’t really create much of a flow in the game, with special teams being front and center most of the opening frame. And to end the first another scrum ensued, causing a few more pushes and shoves as the officials continued to slowly but surely lose control of the proceedings.

In the third Hunter McDonald appeared to be cut with a high stick and was bleeding. But the officials never saw it. It was indicative of what was essentially a rather chippy, choppy affair from start to finish. Finally Samu Tuomaala (not a typo), dropped the gloves against Rico Gredig and gave more than he took. Thankfully he wasn’t injured in the fight after playing just 46 games last year in Lehigh Valley.

Minutes later Devin Kaplan delivered a heavy check on Case McCarthy and they fought. Kaplan fell after taking a punch and the officials quickly stepped in.

Sloppy in own zone

The Flyers didn’t give up much on Friday night, nor did they spend a lot of time hemmed in their own zone. Sadly, in the opening 10 minutes of the first, Philadelphia was guilty of a few miscues. And just bad giveaways. Tucker Robertson’s attempt to skate through some Ranger forecheckers resulted in a giveaway and a Flyers minor penalty. Fortunately as the first went on they appeared to be tidier.

In the second, with two minors to the Flyers, the Rangers had a great five-on-three for roughly 90 seconds. However the blueshirts were content with staying around the perimeter. Toss in Flyers defender Spencer Gill breaking his stick and there was all kinds of fun for Philadelphia. Seconds later the Rangers made a nifty passing play ending with Jaroslav Chmelar putting it in for a 3-1 lead.

Bump good, not great

While nothing amounted to any prime scoring chances, Bump drew an early penalty. The power play wasn’t given much of a chance to work as Philadelphia was called for a minor about 30 seconds into the man advantage. In the second, Bump had more ice as both teams played 4-on-4. That space unfortunately caused an odd-man rush for the Rangers. Defenseman Jackson Dorrington put a nice shot behind Bjarnason to give New York a 2-0 lead early in the second.

Unfortunately, Bump, Nesbitt and Tuomaala were stuck in their own zone for some time midway through period two. After an icing, Tuomaala had a chance to dump the puck in for a much-needed change but couldn’t deliver. However seconds later Bump had a chance to tie things up, nearly beating Tung close in but the puck went wide. On the whole Bump’s first 40 minutes paled somewhat to Friday’s game. Yet he did have his moments. He probably would like to have the play back late which resulted in an empty-netter for the Rangers which made it 5-2.

Murchison steady at times

Ty Murchison didn’t make a lot of noise or heads turn in the first game. In fact, he looked to be banged up after crashing heavily into the boards in the third period. But he was no worse for wear Saturday. In fact he was pretty good initially. Paired with Spencer Gill, Murchison was making some solid, quick, high percentage plays when he wasn’t winning puck battles and keeping the puck (and most defenders) in front of him.

The drawback? Well, Murchison looked rather foolish late in the second period when he was undressed by Brennan Othmann. Othmann fed Noah Laba for his first of the contest to make it a 4-2 game. While there was a lot of hockey left to play, it appeared that took some of the wind out of the sails for Philadelphia. Nothing was coming easy for the Flyers after two periods.

Murchison had a chance early in the third to redeem himself, getting a pass from Bump and taking the wrister which hit the post. He also took a penalty in the third, sending Cooper Moore dangerously into the boards with a check in the back.

Not generating much

With so many penalties, the Flyers couldn’t sustain hardly any momentum for roughly the first half of the game. Whether it was the second of a back-to-back pair of games or that the Rangers were simply doing a better job of making life a little more miserable for Philadelphia, the Flyers didn’t create much. The few chances they had were essentially one-shot affairs. That was before Ethan Samson’s shot cut the Rangers lead in half. Defenseman Austin Moline made a great backhand pass from the boards to Nikita Grebenkin who fed Samson for the goal.

That goal seemed to energize the Flyers and finally woke them up a bit in subsequent shifts.

Hey Joey, how you doin’?

Joey Costanzo took over from Bjarnason with roughly 29 minutes left in the tilt. And he made his first save with ease, a good confidence boost for him with having no warm-up before taking the ice. He was also nearly tested on a short-handed breakaway by the Rangers but the shot went wide. Costanzo, on a tryout, was probably just happy to be playing anywhere as he’s hoping to land a spot somewhere in the Flyers organization. Given the goalies in the system it’s probably doubtful he sticks around.

Costanzo had little to no chance on the Rangers fourth goal. He did make a few good saves in the third to give Philadelphia a puncher’s chance down by two. This was highlighted by a save he made on Casey Terrance six minutes into the third.

With about three minutes to go in the third the Flyers pulled Costanzo for an extra attacker. On the whole Costanzo stopped 10 of the 11 shots he faced.

And who can forget Nikita

Grebenkin had two assists on the first two Flyers goals, the second resulting from some battles he won just inside the Rangers zone. Grebenkin fed Alexis Gendron who beat Tung clean to make it 3-2. A solid Rookie Series for the forward who continues to make a case to find a place somewhere in the Flyers lineup.

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