NHL: Flyers rally to beat Rangers 4-2, even series

New York • This win was three years in the making for backup goalie Ray Emery and the rest of the Philadelphia Flyers.

Emery stood in for injured No. 1 goalkeeper Steve Mason and made 31 saves to help the Flyers rally from an early two-goal deficit and beat the New York Rangers 4-2 on Sunday to even the first-round playoff series.

The Flyers had lost nine straight at Madison Square Garden, including 4-1 in the series opener on Thursday, since their last win there on Feb. 20, 2011. Emery hadn't won a postseason game since he helped Anaheim beat Nashville three years ago.

"I try to stay even-keeled, whether it's going well or you don't get off to the start you want," the 31-year-old Emery said.

Luke Schenn scored the go-ahead goal in the second period after Jakub Voracek and Jason Akeson got the Flyers even at 2. Wayne Simmonds sealed the win with a power-play, empty-net goal.

Bruins 4, Red Wings 1 • In Boston, Justin Florek and Reilly Smith scored in a three-minute span in the first period and the Bruins evened their playoff series with a win over Detroit.

Showing more spark after not taking enough challenging shots on goal in their 1-0 loss Friday night, the Bruins had 18 shots in the first period after managing just 25 in the entire opener.

Luke Glendening cut Boston's lead to 2-1 at 13:20 of the second period before Milan Lucic scored late in the second and Zdeno Chara added a power-play goal early in the third.

Canadiens 3, Lightning 2 • In Montreal, Tomas Plekanec scored at 5:43 of the third period and Montreal moved one win away from advancing to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a victory over Tampa Bay.

Montreal leads the best-of-seven series 3-0 and can sweep the Lightning with a win Tuesday night at the Bell Centre.

Rene Bourque scored 11 seconds into the game and Brendan Gallagher also scored for Montreal.

Blackhawk suspended • Chicago's Brent Seabrook was suspended for three games on Sunday for his hit on St. Louis' David Backes. Seabrook was sanctioned on his 29th birthday for his elbow to Backes' head late in the third period of St. Louis' 4-3 overtime win in Game 2 on Saturday.

Now Chicago has to dig out of a 2-0 hole without one of its best defensemen in a rocky start to its Stanley Cup title defense. —

NHL playoffs

First round,

best of seven

Sunday

• Boston 4, Detroit 1

Series tied 1-1

• Philadelphia 4, N.Y. Rangers 2

Series tied 1-1

• Montreal 3, Tampa Bay 2

Canadiens lead series 3-0

• Los Angeles at San Jose, late

Sharks lead series 1-0

Monday

• Pittsburgh at Columbus,5 p.m., NBCSN

• Colorado at Minnesota,5 p.m., NHL Network

• St. Louis at Chicago,6:30 p.m., CNBC

• Anaheim at Dallas,7:30 p.m., NBCSN