New York Takes Finale 5-2
September 13, 2025
Allentown, PA – The New York Rangers pushed through to pick up a split on the weekend in the fourth annual NHL Rookie Series at PPL Center with a 5-2 win on Saturday night. Philadelphia won the opener on Friday in a 4-3 overtime thriller.
The Rangers were led by Scott Morrow who scored one goal and added two assists in the Saturday game as part of a five-point weekend (1-4-5). The Flyers received goals from Alexis Gendron and Ethan Samson while Nikita Greenkin assisted on both less than 24 hours after his overtime capper on Friday.
The September taste of hockey at PPL Center officially whetted the appetites of the Phantoms Phans for the impending 2025-26 regular season which commences in almost one month on Octiber 11 against the Belleville Senators.
New York’s victory also evens the score in the all-time Rookie Series ledger which is now at four wins for each side after four seasons of September weekend Rookie Prospect hockey.
The disjointed game saw a number of whistles as well as various levels of feistiness throughout. Six minutes into the third period featured an undersized tilt when tensions rose between Samu Tuomaala of the Flyers and young Rico Gredig of the Rangers following an icing race.
The Rangers struck first for the second consecutive night with Scott Morrow blasting home a power-play goal from the high slot to beat Carson Bjarnason.
New York boosted its lead to 2-0 early in the second period with Jackson Dorrington lighting the lamp from the top of the left circle with a drive to the upper-right corner rattling around the top of the cage.
Grebenkin set up Samson at 5:10 into the second period when the hard-shooting right-handed defenseman went top-shelf against Callum Tung. Samson enters his third professional season after racking up a dozen goals last year to lead all Lehigh Valley blieliners.
The Rangers reestablished their two-goal lead with a 5-on-3 goal converted by Jaroslav Chemlar on the left of the cage following some snappy passing by Gabe Perreault and Scott Morrow putting the blueshirts ahead 3-1 at 11:14.
Grebenkin was again responsible for setting up a Philadelphia tally when he spotted Alexis Gendron in the high slot for another blast to the top of the cage at 15:09 to pull the Flyers to within 3-2. Gendron tied for the team-lead in goals on the Phantoms last year along with Jacob Gaucher who also scored 20 in the 2024-25 campaign.
Philadelphia was pushing for an equalizer but perhaps got caught too far up ice when the Rangers were able to speed back with a 2-on-1. Brennan Othmann connected with Noah Laba at 17:19 against relief goaltender Joey Costanzo to make it 4-2 at the second break.
Philadelphia had some strong chances in the third period among its eight shots total but a Gabe Perreault intercept turned into a game-ending empty-netter at 17:30 when he walked it back to the cage at the other end of the ice to complete the scoring.
The players now return to their respective training facilities for the continuation of their Rookie Camps preceding their regular Training Camps.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms officially begin Training Camp on September 28 and will play an away preseason game at Hershey on Wednesday, October 1.
The Phantoms return to PPL Center in three weeks with back-to-back preseason games at home on October 4 against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and October 5 against Hershey.
Phantoms hockey officially begins with Opening Weekend on October 11-12 with a weekend homestand against the Bellville Senators and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins including Rally Towels and Phantoms Trading Card Sets.
SCORING SUMMARY
1st 5:46 – NYR, S. Morrow (D. Roobroeck) (PP) (0-1)
2nd 0:51 – NYR, J. Dorrington (S. Morrow, B. Othmann) (0-2)
2nd 5:10 – PHI, E. Samson (N. Grebenkin) (1-2)
2nd 11:14 – NYR, J. Chmelar (G. Perreault, S. Morrow) (PP, 5×3) (1-3)
2nd 15:09 – PHI, A. Gendron (N. Grebenkin) (2-3)
2nd 17:19 – NYR, N. Laba (B. Othmann) (2-4)
3rd 17:30 – NYR, G. Perreault (ENG) (2-5)
Shots:
PHI 23 – NYR 31
PP:
PHI 0/3, NYR 2/4
Goaltenders:
PHI, C. Bjarnason (L) (14/17)
PHI, J. Costanzo (12/13)
NYR, C. Tung (W) (21/23)
