Philadelphia Flyers Fight Off New-Look New York Rangers 4-2

Sean Avery and the New York Rangers (35-26-8) took an early lead in the first period but the Philadelphia Flyers (36-20-10) scored one goal in each period so the Rangers lost 4 to 2 in the first game of a back-to-back series this weekend. The next game is the NBC's Game Of The Week tomorrow at Madison Square Gardens.

The Rangers threw everything they had at Martin Biron who stopped 39 of 41 shots.

Avery's line with Scott Gomez and Ryan Callahan returned as the Rangers top line after they led the Rangers to victory against the Nashville Predators in their last game but they were kept pointless by the Flyers until the end of the third period when Avery scored unassisted.

Avery has been the best Ranger on the ice, leading by example, playing with lots of energy, and doing all the things the Rangers have to do, even though he's a target for opponents, referees, and opponents' fans.

On the first play of the game, Aaron Asham lined up against Avery and hit him right away. Avery and Asham fought last year when the Rangers beat the New Jersey Devils in the first round of the playoffs.

The Rangers second line as captain Chris Drury with big Nik Antropov and Lauri Korpikoski. Antropov got the first hit of the game. On his second shift, Antropov scored, unassisted, to give the Rangers a 1-0 lead.

It was a goal-scorer's goal and it came when the Flyers were outshooting the Rangers 5 to 3.

Marc Staal took a tripping penalty but the Rangers penalty killers had no problem handling the Flyers power play. Jeff Carter got called for tripping halfway through the period. The Rangers didn't score on their power-play either.

Colton Orr lined up against the Flyers new enforcer, Daniel Carcillo, who leads the NHL in penalties, had a good chance to score but the Flyers goalie, Martin Biron.

The Flyers tied it up at 16:34 when Scott Hartnell scored, assisted by Kimmo Timonen and Simon Gagne.

The Rangers took a penalty at the end of the first. The teams were tied in shots, at 13, and in goals, 1-1, at the end of the first period, with the Flyers on the power play.

The Rangers killed that penalty but Mark Richards scored eight minutes into the second period to give the Flyers a 2-1 lead. The Rangers were pinching on offense and Wade Reddon got caught up ice.

Orr and Riley Cote dropped the gloves after the Flyers second goal. They fought a few times in the past. Orr and Riley are third and fourth in penalty minutes this year. Carcillo, playing in his first game as a Flyer, leads the league in PIMs. Orr and Cote were handed five minute penalties.

Gomez scored a controversial goal in the second period but it was called off. It was waived off by the referee and reviewed because Gomez knocked it into the net with his knee after hitting it with his glove.

Gomez hit the post two minutes later.

Avery was slow to get up after Richards hit him hard into the boards and the Rangers went on the power play.

The Rangers had lots of shots in the second period but Biron shut them out. The Rangers had 17 shots, one disallowed goal, and several good scoring chances in the second and Philadelphia had 8 shots, including a goal.

Avery had a big hit on Braydon Coburn at the start of the third period and then returned the hit.

Wade Reddon got caught pinching again and Ashem scored for the Flyers to put them ahead 3 to 1. Ashem scored again to make it 4 to 1 and then got flattened by Marc Staal. There was a pile-up in front of the Rangers net after the goal but no fights or penalties.

Avery surprised Coburn with his speed and beat Biron to make it 4-2. It was Avery's second goal in two games and his second as a Ranger this year.

The Rangers goalie, Henrik Lundqvist looked sharp in his first game since setting an NHL record with his 30th win for his fourth season in a row since joining in the NHL.

The game in Philly was the first of a back to back series featuring the teams with the top two agitators in the NHL. Avery led the NHL in penalties for two years and then Carcillo took over.

Tomorrow's game in New York is the NBC's Game Of The Week, promoted as Avery And The Rangers Take On The Flyers.

Just a couple of week ago, there were complaints that the New York Rangers were too vanilla. They had a player-friendly coach in Tom Renney and were led by everybody's All-American Chris Drury. A long slump took them from the top of their division to a position out of the playoffs.

Things have changed so much for the Rangers they are now considered a Cinderella team.

Firey John Tortorella was hired to replace the fired Rangers coach, Sean Avery was brought up from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL, after anger management and the Dallas Stars, and the Rangers traded to get big Nik Antropov and Derek Morris.

The Rangers have won four out of six with Avery in the lineup.