Alex Bump scores in NHL debut as Flyers down the Pittsburgh Penguins in a shootout

PITTSBURGH — With Travis Konecny out for a third straight game with an upper-body injury, and Bobby Brink and Nic Deslauriers traded before the NHL trade deadline on Friday, the Flyers had some space on their lineup card to see the future.

Well, the kids are all right.

In a game dictated by the youth movement, Alex Bump scored in his NHL debut, Denver Barkey potted his third of the season, Nikita Grebenkin and Matvei Michkov each had an assist, Jamie Drysdale was sharp at both ends and dropped the gloves for the first time ever, and Trevor Zegras had an assist and raised his shootout accuracy to 63.3% — the best in NHL history among players with at least 10 attempts — with his eighth career game-deciding goal.

It led to the Flyers battling back three times to top the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-3, in a shootout. Dan Vladař stopped Egor Chinakov to seal the win and earn his 20th victory of the season. The Flyers have now won four of their last five as they try to stay in the playoff picture.

There was, of course, good and bad in the game.

The Flyers had two shots on goal in the first, eight in the second — with the last one coming with 7 minutes and two seconds left in the period — and didn’t register the next one until there was 8:37 to go in regulation.

In the end, they finished with 15 shots on goal, marking the second time this season they had shot totals in the teens in back-to-back games; the Flyers had 16 shots on goal on Thursday in a 3-0 loss to the Utah Mammoth.

“We didn’t play great last game. It was pretty evident, pretty clear,” Drysdale said. “We saw it in the video, and we just knew we needed to be a lot better. And I think we still have a lot better, but we hung in there.”

Skating in their 62nd game of the season, the Flyers fell behind 1-0 for the 42nd time; however, they also got their NHL-leading 17th win after trailing first.

Rasmus Ristolainen was called for a questionable holding call while he made a nice poke check on Chinakov after Carl Grundström turned the puck over in the neutral zone less than two minutes into the game. On the ensuing power play, Justin Brazeau found Tommy Novak in the high slot for the quick shot that beat Vladař as he was crouched down and screened by Emil Andrae.

The Flyers were called for five more penalties that led to power plays for Pittsburgh, including Vladař’s interference penalty in overtime.

“I love the refs, but I don’t think it’s a six power play night for them,” coach Rick Tocchet said, lauding his penalty kill that allowed just two shots on goal and 10 shot attempts across almost 10 minutes.

Less than a minute after Novak made it 1-0, it was all tied up when Owen Tippett took a seam pass from Zegras — who was back to playing center — and beat Stuart Skinner to hit the 20-goal mark for the fourth straight year.

The play started with great board work by Grundström and Tippett to keep the puck alive in the Penguins’ end. Tippett closed out Penguins defenseman Sam Girard to create a turnover in the left corner, and the Flyers got to work with Zegras maintaining control in the right corner before Cam York put it back deep to him. Zegras then found Tippett crashing backdoor for the quick shot.

Early in the second period, the Flyers fell behind again, this time off the stick of Rickard Rakell, but less than a minute later, it was Bump tying the game.

The puck seemed to find him all night as it felt like he had it on a string, and this time, skating on a line with Christian Dvorak and Grebenkin, it was Grebenkin’s centering pass that found Bump. Known for his quick release, he beat Skinner short-side.

“Great play by Greby,” said Bump, who revealed he was more nervous for the rookie lap than anything. “That’s a hard pass to make, backhand off the wall. I was just all alone, and I kind of, I bobbled it, and I just closed my eyes and shot it.”

Bump played 16:07, including an overtime shift, and had seven shot attempts, scoring on his lone shot on goal.

“A lot of confidence,” said Tocchet. “I think going down there [in Lehigh Valley] and playing down there and developing, like I really saw a different player.

“It’s good that he’s taken the information down there and coming up here. [Heck] of a shot. We know he has a great shot, holding on to pucks, not scared to shoot the pucks, that’s what we need.”

Pittsburgh took the lead again 61 seconds later when Zegras lost a faceoff to Rakell deep in the Flyers’ end. The puck went to Chinakhov at the point, and the Russian winger sent it over to three-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson for the blast.

But once again, the Flyers evened the score with Barkey getting on the board with his third of the season. Drysdale threw a shoulder into Penguins forward Ville Koivunen inside his own blue line, creating a turnover. Noah Cates fed Michkov, who was back to the right wing and was along the right half-wall, and he sent a touch pass to Barkey, crashing the net.

Forward Luke Glendening, who was claimed off waivers on Friday from the New Jersey Devils, made his Flyers debut. He played 11:44 and won five of six faceoffs in his first NHL game since Feb. 3. ... Drysdale dropped the gloves with Avery Hayes after the Penguins forward nailed York behind the net in the second period. ... Bump is the first Flyers’ player to score in his NHL debut since Hayden Hodgson on March 24, 2022. ... York’s assist was the 100th point of his NHL career. ... Forward Travis Konecny made the trip but did not play for the third straight game. He is out with an upper-body injury and was in a non-contact jersey on Friday at practice in Voorhees. ... Defenseman Nick Seeler missed his second consecutive game with a lower-body injury. ... The game marked the 700th of Rick Tocchet’s career as the head coach and the 315th win. ... The Penguins were without Sidney Crosby (lower-body injury) and Evgeni Malkin (suspension).

The Flyers head home to face the New York Rangers on Monday (7 p.m., NBCSP+).