NHL

Rangers scratch rookie Kreider for first time

PHILADELPHIA — Let the record show it was here, in the city of brotherly love, where Chris Kreider hit the first serious speed bump of his promising young NHL career.

The Rangers’ 21-year-old sensation of last year’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals was a healthy scratch in last night’s 2-1 loss to the Flyers, the first time he has experienced the feeling of expendability to start his inaugural regular season.

“I trust the organization and I trust all the decisions they make,” Kreider said yesterday morning. “Ultimately, they’ll make the right decision and have my best interests in mind.”

That interest, in the mind of coach John Tortorella, may very well be for Kreider to play in the AHL, for the Connecticut Whale, where he had an underwhelming stint during the four-month lockout. After Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime win against the Bruins — the Rangers’ only win in the season’s first four games — Tortorella was rather critical of Kreider’s play, and insinuated his development might be best served learning the game at a lower level.

Last night, Kreider watched from the press box, which is a viewpoint from where Tortorella thinks he can learn.

“He’s a good kid,” Tortorella said. “It’s a situation where I have to make decisions on what gives us the best chance each and every night.”

* The Rangers traded minor-leaguer Chad Kolarik to the Penguins in exchange for forward Benn Ferriero.

Before the 25-year-old Ferriero got to Pittsburgh — where he played 34 games this season in the AHL for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre — he had three seasons with the Sharks, played a total of 92 NHL games and tallied 14 goals and 22 assists.

Kolarik, 26, played four games for the Rangers last season, and in 41 games for the Whale this season, he had 16 goals and 19 assists.

* With forward Arron Asham still dealing with a mild groin strain, Kris Newbury was called up from the Whale late Wednesday night and played just 5:24. He got into a second-period fight with Ty McGinn, and Newbury’s extra two-minutes for roughing on the play resulted in the Flyers’ second goal.

Asham said his hopeful return date is Saturday, when the Rangers return to the ice to play host to the Maple Leafs.