Quote of the Year from Sean Avery
The No-Shake
The Comment
Following the Rangers 5-3 win over the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center in Newark that gave the Rangers a 4-1 series win in the Battle of the Hudson, Devils Goalie Martin Brodeur skated past Rangers forward Sean Avery in the handshake line, without extending his hand.
When asked about the snub from Brodeur on MSG Network’s Rangers Postgame Show, Avery said, “everyone talks about how classless I am, but I guess Fatso there just forgot to shake my hand.”
Good for Avery. Brodeur’s constant flopping, diving and complaining was far more of a disgrace to the game than Avery’s faceguarding. And, the Hall-of-Fame whiner capped off the Devils’ series-long lack of class by not shaking Avery’s hand.
Devils President Lou Lamoriello should be embarassed by the example set by his Head Coach Brent Sutter and franchise goalie Brodeur. Sutter got it started with his childish stick-throwing in Game 2. It continued with his beyond hypocritical hissyfit about the Avery faceguarding. Then, after the Rangers spent Games 3 and 4 on the short end of the whistle, Sutter had the gall to continue his incessant whining about the contact with his goalie.
Throughout the series, Brodeur spent so much time worrying about Avery and other Rangers near the crease that he seemed to suffer nurmerous mental lapses, to the point that he allowed at least one soft goal in each game, and was badly outplayed by Henrik Lundqvist.
By tonight’s Game 5, the Devils were so consumed with Avery and the contact with Brodeur that they spent much of the first half of the game running around and chasing the Rangers’ agitator, causing them to dig a 4-1 hole that they simply couldn’t overcome.
The Devils, beginning with Sutter and Brodeur, allowed themselves to lose focus and discipline. That is not how the Devils won three stanley Cups.
It is not often you see Brodeur get taken off his game. It is just so sweet to see it happen, yet again, against the Rangers.
And, just one last time for this season, “MAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRTTTTYYYYYY!!! MAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRTTTTTTTYYYYYYY!!!”
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i hope you understand the irony of calling someone classless when insulting them in that same setence. Sean avery unsportmanlike conduct doesnt deserve any respect from anyone , he a disgrace and dont try to turn this around. Drilling the goalie to get them off there game is the lowest form of offence i have seen.
and just one more time
*Gomez gets the puck
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
I do get the irony. As much as I get the irony of a coach throwing a 2-year old temper tantrum at the end of Game 2 and throwing a stick on the ice, and then calling someone on the other team classless.
I’m glad the Rangers had the coach who kept his poise. It was obvious as the series wore on that the Rangers followed Renney’s lead and stayed calm and focused, while the Devils followed Sutter’s and allowed themselves to become consumed with Avery and the refs and lose discipline. But, I suppose the Devils have some time to think about that, don’t they?
The Rangers did what every team is supposed to do in the playoffs: They drove hard to the net. As Tom Renney said, “both teams play hard. The net is the end point. What are we supposed to do, just stand off to the side and throw pucks at him? It’s not the way the game’s played. Both teams and 16 teams are doing the same thing.”
Physical intimdation and trying to knock your opponent off his game has long been part of hockey. As much as Gary Bettman wants to sanitize the game to draw in casual fans, playoff hockey is still a tough game. Part of scoring goals in the playoffs is going hard to the net, getting guys in the crease and finding any way you can to score.
Marty allowed himself to get distracted, and it showed. He spent more time acting like he just stepped on a landmine every time a Ranger got near him, instead of just persevering and stopping the puck. Even Sutter acknowledged after the game that Brodeur was worn down by it.
“I think to some degree, as the series went on, he looked tired mentally,” Devils coach Brent Sutter said of Brodeur.
As for not shaking Avery’s hand, that’s certainly Marty’s right. But, he chose to be melodramatic about Avery’s actions and how terrible they were to the game, and then he stooped to that level himself. He’s a hypocrite. He could have shown true class and taken the high road. Instead, he has once again shown himself to be a phony. Maybe his ex-sister-in-law can soothe the pain of being sent packing by the Broadway Blueshirts yet again.
I also find it amusing that Devils fans booed Gomez. What made it all the more amusing is that, after the game, Chico said the Devils need to sign a playmaking center in the offseason. Hmmm. I seem to recall there was one available on the free agent market last year. Whatever happened to that guy? Oh yeah. The Devils were too cheap to pay him, so he signed with the Rangers and sent his former team home for the summer.
Although, Devils fans still have plenty of chances to boo Gomez from their living rooms. He is still playing hockey this season. For Rangers fans, the only way we’ll get to do the Marty chant this season is if we stand on the first tee box at Upper Montclair Country Club. Or, outside his sister-in-law’s bedroom window.
Not that we’ll have time. We still have playoff hockey to watch. Thanks, Marty, we truly appreciate it. In this series, you were the gift that kept on giving.
Mark - i hope you understand that when you step out of the crease you aren’t protected - Broduer had to come out cause he was too fat and old to stay back back and make the saves that Hank the Tank can. Actually when he came out he still didn’t make the saves, anyway, Broduer whined all series, but never backed it up. Avery lit him up 3 times in 5 games. Regardless, part of hockey playoffs is the handshake, it’s over move on. But shake hands first.
Avery won. Brodeur lost.
Avery got in his head.
Lets look at Avery’s words in terms of reality.
Avery 5′10 - 195
Brodeur 6′2 - 215
4 inches taller and 20 pounds heavier = fat? I guess Avery is too dumb to know goalies where pads and thats not all his body.
Brodeur - 3 Championships
Avery - 0 Championships (was demoted to Minors when Red Wings Won in 2002)
No one on the Ranger’s deserved a handshake after that game 1 cheapshot on Parise, a straight stick to the teeth is real classy huh?
The Devils should have retaliated but they didn’t, which saddens me. The need to get another Stevens up there, he would have ended Avery’s career before it even got started just like he did to that piece of garbage Lindros.
Only a Rangers fan would think Avery isn’t one of the stupidest things hockey has ever seen. The ideal players are those who can skate, score, hit, defend, or stop pucks, not some jackass whose biggest strength is standing in front of the net facing down the goalie, telling him about his divorce or how fat he is, waving his arms and stick around like a 10 year old. Brodeur will go down in history as the best goalie ever to play the game. People will barely remember who Avery is in ten years.
Well whatever way you decide to look at it the devils are out of the playoffs. Brodeur will be look at as a big whining baby, in case you guys weren’t aware he wont be playing for canada in the Olympic games because he’s to devistated from the loss to a rangers. Not only is he a pussy he admitts being a pussy. Brodeur layed down faster then his wifes sister did when i think it was calahan brushed into him and tried to fake an injury. Avery is a great pest he is no superstar points wise but he gets in the other teams head and every team has one of them the rangers happen to have the best. Back to the great brodeur, he wont every be ranked close to the top when talking about the best goalies ever. He was the best when the devils had the best defense in front of him saving his ass so no one would get shots. In case you havent noticed since the NHL banned playing the trap style defense (called the 1-4) that the devils used to play they havent come close to a championship and brodeur has been bitching and moaning since.
Rich a cheap shot on Parise? Maybe your blind but he deserved whatever he got after he tryed killing a rangers defense man at the end of maybe game 2 it was with 2 seconds left. FROM BEHIND. Seems a little worse then waving your hands in a goalies face.
John maybe you forgot that ur devils team have clarkson, and white…..now if you want to talk about the stupidest things hockey has ever seen id say these 2 players take the cake. Clarkson looked hilarious trying to grab Shanny the whole serious to start shit with him. What was he talking shit to him about how shanny has more goals in 1 season then he has in his career. Maybe he was telling shanny how awful he is being a 600 goal scorer. Clarkson shouldnt be able to hold Shanny’s jock let alone play on the same ice surface as him. WHITE is even worse first hes a dirtbag fighter now hes a half shield wearing pussy with no talent……….thats one extreme to the next…..why dont you look back and see him in the phases between those two you’ll laugh hysterically when you realize that he doesnt know what hes supposed to be he should retire and stop embarrassing himself. Rupp’s another character. But im finished
Com’on Frank, nhl banned the trap. There is no ban on the neutral zone trap defence, they are calling more penalties to reduce the amount of clutch and grab on the ice. You really need to come to terms certain things. Brodeur will be the all time wins leader early next year, has almost as many accolades as Roy and there is a good probability that he will retire as the all time shut out leader. This will put him in the hall of fame and top 5 goalies all time. Avery is a good scrappy playerwho can put points on the board but all the b.s. he does on the ice detracts from his quality as a player and makes the league look like a joke for not disciplining him. Look no further than the Blake pregame warmup fiasco to show his quality as a person. For the most part it seems to me that Avery will do whatever it takes to get some media attention, perhaps to help further off ice interests. When a players biggest skill is distracting great players from playing the game they shouldn’t be there, that includes Clarkson chasing Shanahan all over. Lets hope he dosen’t continue his ways with Crosby it could be a great series to watch.