Flyers enjoy smooth takeoff in opener

RALEIGH, N.C. - Relentless is the Flyers' slogan for the 2009-10 season.

Last night, in the season opener, they took the slogan to heart.

Swarming the net in the first portion of the game and excelling at penalty- killing throughout the night, the Flyers got power-play goals from Jeff Carter and Mike Richards 22 seconds apart early in the second period, sparking a 2-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at the RBC Center.

Ray "Razor" Emery made 28 saves and became the third goalie to register a shutout in his Flyers debut. The others: John Vanbiesbrouck in 1998 and Jeff Hackett in 2003.

"Ray has looked more comfortable every day. . . . He was tremendous tonight," coach John Stevens said.

"I'll be honest with you, I was pretty nervous," said Emery, returning to the NHL after a year in Russia. "But nerves are a good thing."

Vanbiesbrouck, Hackett, and Hall of Famer Bernie Parent were the only other Flyers to notch a season-opening shutout.

For those who like omens, Parent returned from the World Hockey Association and started the 1973-74 season with a 2-0 shutout against Toronto.

The Flyers won the Stanley Cup that season.

The Flyers were 2 for 5 with an extra skater and killed all eight Carolina power plays. Newcomers Chris Pronger, Blair Betts, and Ian Laperriere played major roles in the penalty- killing - as did Braydon Coburn, Richards, Kimmo Timonen, and Ryan Parent.

"Special teams bailed us out," Richards said. "We had a lot of penalties, which is pretty standard and has to go, but penalty-killing did a good job, and we scored a couple on the power play on fresh ice, and that was the difference."

The game turned when Carolina's Sergei Samsonov received a double minor for high-sticking Coburn with 30 seconds remaining in the first period. Blood flowed from the mouth of Coburn, who had undergone dental surgery two days earlier.

Twenty-five seconds into the second period, Carter scored the first goal when goalie Cam Ward couldn't cover a rebound. Richards then redirected a slick crossing pass from Simon Gagne to give the Flyers a 2-0 lead.

"A similar play that we always do," Richards said. "Usually, it's me to Gaggy, but that time Gaggy made a good play. I just had to put my stick down."

Rookie James van Riemsdyk collected an assist - the first point of his NHL career - on the latter goal.

"The ice was bad late in the [first period], so we knew going into that three-minute power play to start the second that we needed to score some goals," Pronger said.

The Flyers controlled the first period as they outshot the Hurricanes, 15-8. Ward made his best save when he stopped van Riemsdyk, who got behind the defense on the power play.

Earlier, a goal by Carolina's Eric Staal was disallowed because it was set up by a hand pass by former Flyer Andrew Alberts.

The Flyers were focused on getting off to a much better start than last season, which they began with an 0-3-3 record.

"The tough start put us in a hole right away," said Danny Briere, who had an assist on last night's first goal. "It builds a lot of pressure right away, and guys start pressing, so, yeah, it's important" to avoid such a start.

"It's easier to come together as a team when you get a few wins under your belt right away," he said.

Before the game, van Riemsdyk sounded giddy as he prepared for his NHL debut.

"This is something you dream about your whole life," he said.

Even the veterans were excited.

"It's always an easy game to get up for," said Briere, starting his 12th season. "The adrenaline is always flowing, and you're excited about the new year. Every team thinks they're going to win the Stanley Cup on the first night of the season."

Especially the team that gets a shutout the way it did in the magical 1973-74 season.