The Flyers' prospects took Round 1 of 2 against the Rangers' prospects with a 6-3 win in Saturday's rookie game at the Madison Square Garden Training Center in Tarrytown, New York.
The second game comes Sunday at Virtua Center Flyers Skate Zone in Voorhees, New Jersey. Puck drop is set for 5 p.m. ET and the game will be streamed live by the Flyers.
Let's get into five observations from the first game, which was streamed live on YouTube by the Rangers.
Tyson's time
If we had to pick one player who has stood out the most over the Flyers' development and rookie camps, it's easily Tyson Foerster.
The 19-year-old winger has exhibited his NHL shot regularly and looks more like a well-rounded player from when he was drafted during the first round in October 2020.
After stealing the show in the 3-on-3 tournament to wrap up Flyers development camp earlier this month, Foerster scored a pair of goals in Saturday's rookie game. Both markers came in the first period, with one on the power play to open the game's scoring.
NHL
"Nothing has been made clear yet but hopefully I can stay with the Flyers," Foerster said Friday about where he might play this season. "But if not, hopefully Lehigh Valley. Nothing has been made clear to me yet."
Foerster is a long shot for the Flyers but the Phantoms seem like his most likely landing spot. He played on the Flyers' top line Saturday with Morgan Frost and Isaac Ratcliffe. The trio was the Flyers' best group.
"Tyson Foerster and Morgan Frost, that line was really good on the power play and at 5-on-5," Phantoms head coach Ian Laperriere said, via an interview with Flyers senior director of communications Zack Hill.
Frost back at it
Frost wasted little time testing out his left shoulder. He delivered a solid hit along the boards during the first period and led with his left side.
The 22-year-old playmaking center facilitated a bunch in Saturday's game and scored an empty-net goal. To no surprise, he looked like one of the top players on the ice, like he has throughout the development and rookie camps.
The 2017 first-round pick played only two games in 2020-21 after requiring season-ending surgery on his left shoulder. His first two seasons at the pro level have been far from normal.
"When I was in junior, it was kind of just playing freely and that kind of thing. When you get to pro, it's a lot more of a mental battle," Frost said Thursday. "Especially with the injury, being up and down between teams, it's a mental battle. I think I've become a lot more mentally strong through it all. I feel like a better person, more mature person."
Sandin scores a pair
Linus Sandin nearly netted a hat trick but was denied on a nice look in the third period.
The 25-year-old Swedish winger had a strong game with two power play goals. Sandin is a quality forechecker and adept at working in the slot. His first goal came during the opening period off a feed from Ratcliffe. His second goal was off a feed from Frost near the end of the second period and it turned out to be the game-winner.
"Two goals, that was nice, but my game overall was OK," Sandin said, via an interview with Hill. "Not my best, but it was OK."
Sandin was on a line with Jackson Cates and Samu Tuomaala.
The D-men and goalies
Egor Zamula, one of the Flyers' top defensive prospects, quarterbacked the top power play unit and was good at 5-on-5. Wyatte Wylie and Mason Millman had blocked shots.
Laperriere said Wylie and Zamula "really stood out" to him.
Ethan Samson either scored or assisted the fifth goal on his shot in the third period. Nolan Ritchie may have deflected it.
In net, starter Kirill Ustimenko allowed two goals and Samuel Ersson surrendered the third. Ersson is expected to start Sunday's game.
Roster talk
Cam York and Tanner Laczynski, two of the top prospects in rookie camp who made their NHL debuts last season, did not suit up but are expected to play Sunday.
If Wade Allison doesn't play Sunday, he certainly left his mark Saturday.
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