Rangers Shut Out Devils, Assisted by Avery.

The action was expected to focus on Rangers forward Sean Avery and Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, who were meeting for the first time since last spring's playoffs, when Avery called Brodeur ''Fatso.'' But for the Rangers, the match was a team effort as they coasted to a 3-0 victory over the struggling Devils on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. The win boosted the Rangers' precarious playoff chances. They have 89 points, 3 more than eighth-place Montreal and 4 more than Florida. They trail sixth-place Pittsburgh by a point. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]