Flyers Double Rangers 6-3 in First Weekend Rookie Game

After two days of on-ice sessions, the Philadelphia Flyers rookies hit the road and delivered a win.

Tyson Foerster and Linus Sandin tallied two goals each to lead the Flyers rookies to a 6-3 win over the New York Rangers’ rookies on Saturday afternoon at the Rangers’ practice facility in Tarrytown, New York.

Ethan Samson, the 18-year-old defenseman selected in the sixth round in 2021, also scored. Morgan Frost added an empty-net goal as the third period wound down, to go along with two assists.

🔶 That’s game! 🔶@EthanSamson77 and @_morganfrost_10 tally markers in the third period as the Flyers defeat the Rangers 6-3 in the first of two rookie games this weekend. pic.twitter.com/VRlfupZegX

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 18, 2021

Morgan Barron, Patrick Khodorenko and Lauri Padjuniemi tallied for the Rangers.

In net, Kirill Ustimenko and Samuel Ersson split the duties for the Flyers.

Ustimenko got the start and was perfect through the first period, which saw Philadelphia jump out to a 3-0 lead.

😤😤😤

Two goals from @tfoerster8 and one from @LinusSandin has the Flyers Rookies up 3-0 on the Rangers after one. pic.twitter.com/6af0alvIna

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 18, 2021

Just 16 seconds after the opening draw, the Rangers’ 6’8″ forward Matt Rempe was sent to the penalty box for a nasty hit which took both Flyers’ defenseman Cooper Zech and Rangers forward Justin Richards out of the game. On the ensuing power play, Foerster beat Rangers netminder Dylan Garand with a one-timer before the game was a minute old.

Sandin’s first goal also came on the power play, from the slot off a set-up from Isaac Ratcliffe at 5:55. Before the period was out, Foerster had connected again for his second of the game.

The first period also saw 6’2″ Flyers forward Wade Allison challenge Rempe to a fight.

Here’s video of the Wade Allison fight from today’s #Flyers Rangers rookie game

Took a few shots early but then got in some heavy blows, eventually bloodying his combatant pic.twitter.com/pGZMn7bmm5

— Dan Silver (@dsilver88) September 18, 2021

Wade Allison discusses hit from Matt Rempe on Cooper Zech in the first period that led to Allison and Rempe fight: "I didn't like that hit at the beginning. There's no need for that. I thought it was a cheap hit. So I'm just standing up for my teammates. That s*** don't fly."

— Olivia Reiner (@ReinerOlivia) September 18, 2021

After giving up three goals in the first half of the game, Garand made way for Talyn Boyko in the New York net. Sandin beat Boyko late in the second period for his second of the game, which proved to be the game winner.

That’s two for @LinusSandin! 🚨🚨

Sandin lights the lamp for the second time today and we’ll head to the third period with a 4-3 lead. pic.twitter.com/PGVXPrIJ6t

— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 18, 2021

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Foerster’s Stock Rising

When Foerster was drafted from the OHL’s Barrie Colts with the 23rd pick in the 2020 NHL draft, he was coming off a 36-goal season and carried a reputation as a big-time scorer. He was somewhat limited by injuries last season but still managed 10 goals in 24 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

This year, expected to play in the AHL again as a 19-year-old, the 6’2″ forward has impressed early in camp — especially with his shooting skills.

“Water bottle popper.”

– @jasonmyrt

Tyson Foerster showing off his shot right in front of a packed perch of Flyers hockey operations personnel.

Morgan Frost found him with nice pass. pic.twitter.com/BqWw92msy8

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) September 17, 2021

“Do you see that goal he scored in the scrimmage?” asked new Phantoms head coach Ian Laperriere after Thursday’s on-ice session in Voorhees. “Wow — not too many kids can score that goal. The puck was there. The other guy, a defender, wasn’t there with his stick yet. He just grabbed that puck and sniped it. He’s a goal scorer.

“It’s great. For me, it’s great to work with those kids. Foerster, he’s hell of a talent.”

Details Important to Laperriere

Leading his first rookie camp, Laperriere is taking a micro approach.

“At the end of the day, what makes a good team from an okay team is the details,” he told the media after Day 1 on the ice on Thursday. “That’s what I’m going to teach those kids in the minors. I’m going to repeat, repeat, repeat.

“Today we worked on neutral zone. Tomorrow is going to be forecheck. My thinking when they told me I was going to run rookie camp, I’m going to try to help them out. Give them little pointers of what (Alain Vigneault) is looking for here, like system-wise and details to help them succeed in those two games in a weekend.

“Their camp started. That’s what I told them — it’s not rookie camp, it’s training camp. It’s not development camp, it’s camp. That’s your chance to make a good first impression for a lot of those kids.

“It’s their chance to shine. My job, I feel, right now, is to help them and give them couple pointers for those kids to have success.”

Sunday’s Rematch

The Flyers and Rangers prospects will do it all again on Sunday, with puck drop at 5 p.m. ET from the Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, New Jersey.

Laperriere says he’ll switch his goalies on Sunday, giving Ersson the start and Ustimenko the second half of the game.

And with 16 forwards and 10 defensemen in camp, expect a few lineup changes. High-end prospects Cam York and Tanner Laczynski were given the day off on Saturday but are expected to suit up on Sunday.

For Laczynski, that’ll be his first time back in game action since undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in late April. He was cleared to play by team doctors on Friday.

But don’t expect to see injured forwards Zayde Wisdom, Elliot Desnoyers or Maksim Sushko on the ice just yet. General manager Chuck Fletcher said earlier this week that he’s hopeful that Desnoyers and Sushko will be ready for main camp. Wisdom is expected to be out until December after undergoing shoulder surgery in August.