Posted by Check out Greg Caggiano’s spirited post for a quick rundown of the Rangers/Bruins game as well as some other food for thought.
Welcome to another chapter in the never-ending saga I like to call Sean Avery Must Love to Be Hated. This time around our angst-ridden agitator willfully brings his stick into contact with Boston goaltender Tim Thomas’ head during Boston’s 1-0 win over the Rangers yesterday afternoon, but judging by Avery’s body language it was all a big misunderstanding. Que dramatic, soap opera-like score:
So what do you think? Was it an oops moment or a blatant disregard for the rules as well as Thomas’ personal safety? Granted, it wasn’t so much a whack with the stick as it was a light brushing, but what does it say about the NHL’s governing body as a whole when stuff like this only warrants a 2-minute penalty?
Here’s a quote from Thomas regarding the incident and his subsequent reaction courtesy of Boston.com’s Bruins Blog:
“It’s an unwritten rule that nothing happens during the TV timeout. I’m stretching there, Avery comes by, and I get hit in the head with a stick. You look up and see who it is. You’ve got to be kidding me. It was just reflex. The battling during the game? I have no problem with that. I actually like the way he plays around the net. He’s tenacious. He gets in right around the crease but he’s not doing anything illegal. I have no problem with that. But there are lines that you can’t cross. He seems to have a hard time figuring out where those lines are.”
And then there’s the following comment left by user “chunksloth” over at YouTube:
“And this guy (is) dating Elisha Cuthbert, proving once again that women LOVE douchebags.”
Priceless.
Paul Benvin covers the Detroit Red Wings for The Hockey Writers. Feel free to contact him with tips, video, or general dissension.
Some Other Articles That You May Enjoy:
Sean Avery Trying to Make Comeback
Is Shane O’Brien The Next Sean Avery?
Avery Wins Back My Respect as Rangers Defeat Devils
Rag-Doll Physics
Referees…err Capitals Defeat Rangers in Game Three Showdown
So, You Hate Sean Avery?
We hope you enjoyed this post. As always, leaving a comment below is both appreciated and encouraged. Thanks!
Thanks for linking me in the article!
As for Avery, it was intentional and deserved a penalty. I was only furious because there was NO call at first. It was only after the replay was shown on the big-screen and the refs looked up that they called the penalty. That’s not right; a referee is NOT allowed to make a call based on video replay. And Thomas should have gotten an extra two minutes for the blocker glove punch to Sjostrom’s face which could have done more damage then anything Avery did.
It’s just sad because when Avery actually gets away from the head games and the theatrics, he’s a solid hockey player. And then he pulls stunts like this, and it starts all over. It’s approaching pathetic because he’s not a “goon” in the typical sense. He loves agitating, but there’s a way to do it, during the game, during play. Not from behind a stretching goalie during a TV timeout, regardless of the severity or intent behind his stick tap. If he’d figure out a way to just play hockey, it’d be nice.
Avery can play hockey. The guy can skate and he has a good wrist shot. He just has this other side to him that agitates and makes people angry. Personally I like when Avery mixes things up because it makes the game exciting and it adds some blood for later matchups. Boston and New York is a possible first round matchup and was a huge rivalry for years. Avery could singlehandedly bring that back which would be fantastic. Avery was only going to stay calm for so long. He is back and is going to be the biggest pain in the butt he can be which is when he is at his best.
Yeah Greg he’s gotten better….HA
You all bitch and moan now, but you’d would all take him on your team in a heartbeat.
Not really Greg. I don’t want his contract, his lack of production, his penalties, or his intangibles. You think the Flyers take penalties now…Philadelphia, regardless of what some may believe, run a pretty clean ship right now. A lot of calls we get are reputation based. Imagine someone with Avery’s reputation in Philadelphia. It would be a DISASTER. He wouldn’t help the Flyers do anything. I’ll stick with the underrated guy, Scott Hartnell.
Take him on our Team,
Greg I speak with a lot of hockey fans in Montreal and I cannot recall one single person saying that they’d want him here, quite the opposite. He is seen as nothing more than a fool that has outlived his 5 minutes of shame.
For the record he was never like that when he was here in Detroit. An agitator? Sure, but he was nowhere near the level he is now.
As a NJ native and a NY Rangers fan, all I can say is CUT THIS CLOWN.