This isn’t exactly going to be the late-season matchup the Philadelphia Flyers and fans had marked down for mid-April a few weeks ago, but here we are.
And, with the playoffs more or less out of the equation for the Flyers, the NCAA Frozen Four is the best they’ve got.
Having eliminated fellow Flyers prospect Devin Kaplan and No. 2 Boston University in a thrilling 2-1 overtime victory on Thursday, Massimo Rizzo and No. 3 University of Denver have advanced to the NCAA Championship Game.
Awaiting Rizzo and Denver on the other side is none other than former Flyers prospect Cutter Gauthier and No. 1 Boston College, and they boast a lot of firepower.
Notable Boston College prospects include Gauthier, Will Smith, Gabe Perreault, Ryan Leonard, Jacob Fowler, Aram Minnetian, and Drew Fortescue.
Rizzo will line up next to stud prospects like Zeev Buium, Shai Buium, Sean Behrens, Jack Devine, Rieger Lorenz, and Carter King, but they aren’t quite as dynamic as their opponents.
It’s worth noting that the Flyers have not signed Rizzo to an entry-level contract yet, and if they did, he’s only eligible for a two-year entry-level contract because of his age. Additionally, Rizzo would burn a year off the ELC no matter what, also because of his age. Only 18 and 19-year-olds are eligible for the entry-level slide.
For those interested in catching the Flyers’ past and present square off, Rizzo will face Gauthier on Saturday, April 13, at 6 p.m. According to the NCAA’s broadcast schedule, the game will be available to watch on TV on ESPN2.
Rizzo only recently returned from a two-month layoff due to injury, but did play in Denver’s win over Boston on Thursday. The 22-year-old has piled up an impressive 10 goals, 34 assists, and 44 points in only 29 games this season.
After this, it’s entirely possible Rizzo’s next step is turning pro and joining the Flyers organization.
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