Another fun night with Avery; Case of mistaken identity

The Martin Brodeur-Sean Avery angle never really materialized during tonight's game. Avery was in front of Brodeur trying to screen him during a Rangers' first period power play, but nothing really materialized from that.

In fact, Brodeur said Avery never spoke to him tonight, which was a contract from past meetings when Avery made comments about Brodeur's personal life.

"He was just in front of me," Brodeur said. "That's just battling. That's normal. I just wanted to get my space. He was all right. He didn't do much. He didn't say a word to me."

Some seemed to think that Avery was a significant factor in this game. I thought he played a decent game. He made a good play on the Rangers' third goal and was active all night. He had a good hit on Johnny Oduya in the third period.

He didn't play a major role, though

The stuff that happened in the third period with David Clarkson and Mike Rupp came after the game was decided, so that was not a factor in the outcome.

Here's some explanations from the Devils on their various run-ins with Avery over the night.

**Avery asked defenseman Mike Mottau to fight in the first period, but had no interest when Mottau accepted later.

"The first time was right after the shot," Mottau said. "He shook his gloves and I was at the end of a shift and then the refs got in there. I said I'd fight him the next shift and after the TV timeout we lined up next to one another and he wouldn't fight me."

**In the third period Clarkson dragged Avery out a group tussle and tried to get him to fight. I initially thought Avery didn't deserve the roughing penalty he received, but Clarkson said Avery had dropped one of his gloves. One of the photographers here confirmed that he had a photo of Avery during that incident in which one of his gloves off and his hand balled in a fist, He never threw a punch, though.

"I was just trying to spark the guys,” Clarkson said. “He had one glove thrown down and he had his fist cocked back, so that’s kind of why. I’m trying to spark the team and he had his one hand cocked back in a fist. I don’t know how. Say he throws a punch and hits me. I’m the guy that loses.”

Clarkson received a double minor for roughing and a 10-monute misconduct from the incident.

"I sure they didn't want me to go after him again, so the kicked me out," Clarkson said.

***Rupp received a roughing penalty for kind of dragging Avery down after a check with with 17;2 seconds left in the game.

"I just wanted to finish me hit," Rupp said. "I don't know if someone threw something from the stands and hit him and knocked him down, but he went down pretty easy."

***

There was one incident that didn't involve Avery, but he played a role in it. That was the second period wrestling match between Bobby Holik and Scott Gomez.

Holik said he didn't know it was Gomez he was tussling with at first.

"To be honest with you, I thought it was Avery," he said laughing.

When did he realize it was Gomez?

"When I threw him around like a rag doll," he said.

He then admitted, "No I think he stepped on his stick."

"I had no idea who it was," Holik said. "I had no idea who it was. I was trying to poke at the puck and somebody came and you know I don’t discriminate.”

Did Gomez say anything?

"Well, he apologized," Holik said. "No, he didn't say anything."

Did Holik say anything to Gomez?

"Yeah, I said, 'Don't do it again'," Holik said.

Gomez and Holik are still friends from their time as teammates with the Devils and shared a laugh about the incident in the hallway between locker rooms long after the game was over.

Comments

[Zorin]

Yah, where was Bobby when Avery was cracking ppl again? More big words from Bobby, right? Please, stop trying to be Superman, okay Frankenstein. Go let Steve interview you during the end of a period. Oh wait, I forgot, he can only be interviewed when he scores. Fortunately for us, that doesn't happen much.

[chessarmy]

^ WTF? Whats with the Bobby hate? He can't do EVERYTHING, Ruppy and Clarkie have to step up as well. We took care of Avery tonight, it wasn't our fault the idiot didn't want to fight.

[JerseyLove]

Hahahaha, Rupp and Holik, priceless.
The only good thing from the game was Clarkson tossing Avery around. Loved the innocent front he put, what a sham.

[JerseyLove]

Hahahaha, Rupp and Holik, priceless.
The only good thing about the game was Clarkson swinging Avery around. Loved the innocent front he put up...what a sham.

TG, did you talk to Shanahan about playing against his ex team, yadda yadda?

[HF]

im glad holik and gomer are still friends and can joke about things after the game. Really makes us devils fans happy to know these players really give a crap about being embarrassed and dominated on the ice by our rivals. Sutter can't make these players play with passion, No one wants to step up and lead this team, just pathetic and disheartening...

[Zorin]

Cause Bobby is about being a show and he's so crazy, and so on, but that idiot talked about he wouldn't stand for the crap Avery did last year and how he wouldn't be in Marty's crease and all night number 16 was a frigging bug that wouldn't go away.

Avery took care of us, Chessarmy. He found new ways to be annoying and got under the skin of everyone.

[Zorin]

HF, you're so right. Glad they can go giggle in Mid-town and be buddies after a 3-0 loss that continues this team's losing streak. Elias was quiet all game, wonder if he joined them for cocktails?

[Marcus Crespilho]

Yeah unfortunately Elias was a no show tonight...

[Nick]

Pretty sure Elias is no longer friends with Gomez at all...not many of the Devils players are. Notice Bobby left before Gomez left which is why they are still friends

[skeeter]

I'm sure Shanny and Avery are talking about the game over some Cosmos in the Village as I write this.

[Marcus Crespilho]

Yeah that's just the picture we want to paint in our minds. Shanahan just skating past Avery after he dumped oduya (maybe he asked for his new phone number too), and holik and gomez laughing it up after the game. That's all need to be thinking about after such a disappointing game. Theses guy should be as embarrassed as we are... well maybe we're the only ones who care, i wouldn't be too surprised.

[DCdevil]

Wow, I thought being a mets fan was bad, but now I have to deal with two teams tanking? (yes i know were still making the playoffs). Doesnt change the fact that we might get bounced from the first round b/c of our "slumps" toward the end of the season. Will Sutter get fired 2morrow or even on thursday if we lose 6 in a row? No. However, he does have a very short window of opportunity to keep his job for next year. What does he have to do to keep it? Simple. Fire these pansies up and get past the 1st round with our "cup contender." If we do get knocked out 1st round, please let it be anyone other than the rangers. I'd rather get knocked out by cyndy and co. than get knocked out by the rangers.

P.S. What we are witnessing is not a "slump." This is what historians call a "DOWNFALL"

see...
- 2007, 2008 New York Mets
- and 1940s Germany
- and possibly the U.S. if the rangers beat us in the 1st round again.

[HF]

u are right marcus crespilho, we care more than they do. we dont have scott stevens or ken daneyko in the locker room to speak up and lead with passion on the ice. I mean other than zach parise, who plays with passion on this club consistently? our captain spends half his energy arguing with the refs, elias takes games off, rolston(has he come back from his injury yet?), zubrus just takes up space, gionta has lost his shot and knack for the net, i could rip all the guys but brodeur, he was again left out to dry....

[Marcus Crespilho]

Oh...... Stevens.... gosh we had it good! I miss the good ole' days of Devils passionate hockey

[Jim B]

@ DCdevil

Being a die-hard mets fan, thats not even funny, if the devils pull that kind of crap I dont know how I will react hahaha.

Devils didnt generate offense, and played poor defense, if it wasnt for marty, it would have been 5 or 6 to nothing.

[TG]

Other than that one instance in the first period on the power play, which was run of the mill stuff, when did Avery bother Brodeur that Holik or anyone else needed to do something about it?

I didn't see anything.

[Steve Lepore]

TG, you certainly seem as tired of Brodeur/Avery and Avery in general as I am.

[modnarm]

I wish Nieds never left. He was the MAN. We shuda just signed his brother who isn't a bad player either.

[crossbar]

This would seem to be the worst time for a slump but, considering the hoopla surrounding MB's record-breaking, it's not too surprising. You'd think they'd bust out of it right quick for their biggest rival but the boys still seem to be reserving their energy for some reason (even when Rupp, Clarkie and others bit back a little, it all seemed pretty restrained). Hope they feel the urgency soon. I still think this team has a nice spark. They're just resting on their past laurels and that's not going to cut it come playoff time.

[SteveHatesZubrus]

Lou Lamoriello is out of touch today's with today's NHL. It's time for him to go because he has put together another old slow team that is not made for playoff hockey. Lou you were the best and I'll always remember what you've done for this franchise but you have to hand over the reigns to someone else. We have no chance to win a round and if there aren't major changes next year (no more Madden, Gio, Zubrus) I'm not gonna pay insane prices to go to the games.

[SteveHatesZubrus]

Zubrus is stealing millions of dollars from the Devils organization. I read a quote from Bernie Madoff where he called Danius a disgrace for what he is doing. Go away Zubrus and take Pando, Madden, Gionta, Salvador, and Rolston with you.

[Scrat]

No offense Stevehates but..

STFU

[Salvatore from Garfield]

I'm with Scrat. I wonder if that's the same Steve that said the Devils weren't going to win the Stanley Cup late last week. Kind of pointless to watch if you already made that decision, eh?

[Jacko]

I love when fans sit back and refuse to back up the team monetarily but have plenty to say about how to spend other peoples money.

"Insane prices" Steve? Are we the cheapest fan base on Earth? Or maybe the poorest? It is shocking to me we have such "die hard" opinionated fans who run their mouthes to no end, but come time to open the wallets and support the club in the only way it matters, there is silence.

Time to go out and support the team and stop boo hooing everytime they run into a tough patch. If they won every game, would we even watch? Of course not. Not after it became obvious the outcome was predetermined. So stop the sofa GM talk and get a part time job to pay for some hockey tickets.

[richard goskowski]

2007-2008-2009? here we go again devils play like champs in the middle of season then when we get close to playoffs then fall apart if they go out in 1st round again then its time to for gm to go lamerllo does nothing at trading deadline i hope im wrong but it dont look good now