Leafs trim Flyers in preseason opener

London, ON -- For the first time in two years, the Philadelphia Flyers took the ice in mid-September for a preseason game, and the rust showed against a charged-up Maple Leafs club.

Nazem Kadri stoked a three-goal first period, while Paul Ranger netted the eventual game-winner late in the second period against second-string goaltender Anthony Stolarz, and Toronto claimed a 4-3 win on Sunday evening at Budweiser Gardens.

Ranger, who spent 51 games with the Toronto Marlies last season after being out of hockey since an eight-game stint with Tampa Bay in 2010, picked up the rebound of a shot that resulted from a give-and-go from Kadri and David Broll, beating the 6-foot-6 London Knights goaltender and 2012 Flyers draft pick for the deciding tally.

Kadri's opener was a low bullet that beat Steve Mason from the left wing, after the young Leaf -- a restricted free agent who signed a two-year contract extension on Tuesday -- faked out Hal Gill so that the veteran blueliner was swimming backwards at the point the puck hit the back of the net.

It was 2-0 when Troy Bodie one-timed a shot from the slot and the lead grew to 3-0 at the 3:05 mark of the opening period after Mason Raymond escaped a checker at center ice, cruised in alone and scored on the forehand.

The Orange and Black did not fold, however, striking back to tie the game by latter stages of the middle frame.

First, it was Doug Clarkson -- younger brother of the newly-rich Leaf David -- who deflected home a point drive from Andrej Meszaros past James Reimer and Philly was behind 3-1 after 20 minutes of play.

Brayden Schenn then converted a rebound from atop the crease, beating James Reimer to the disc for a shot under the crossbar, and Nick Cousins played a carom off the back boards perfectly for a backhand score and 3-3 deadlock.

Reimer and Ben Bishop combined to pick up the win, while Mason ended up with 12 saves on 15 shots.

Lost in the resilience the Flyers showed in the comeback, was that Zac Rinaldo left the game following a heavy hit at the end boards in the second period and did not return. He was listed as having the nebulous but suspicious "upper-body injury."

Philadelphia will have a rare split-squad exhibition slate on Monday, with one squad of select players taking on the Leafs in Toronto and the other remaining home to take on the Washington Capitals.