Avery's First Fight After Anger Management Gets Good Reviews Across America

Sean Avery dropped the gloves and also his helmet, spinning it dramatically, for his first hockey fight since Anger Management and rejoining the New York Rangers and the NHL.

The reviews in newspapers across America and around the world were good and so was the review given by Rangers coach John Tortorella.

Avery played six games with the Hartford Wolf Pack and eight with the Rangers before deciding to fight again in game nine.

He clearly won a scrap with the NHL's hits leader, Cal Cutterbuck of the Minnesota Wild, at a game in Madison Square Garden.

The fight can be seen online here.  It shows Avery on top and the Rangers all banging their sticks on the ice in appreciation as the Rangers fans cheered wildly—no pun intended.

In a story used by newspapers around the world, the Associated Press wrote "Avery got tangled with Cal Clutterbuck in front of the Wild net and dropped the gloves with his Minnesota counterpart.

Both players removed their helmets, with Avery dramatically spinning his onto the ice, before they engaged in punches."

"Wild lacks right kind of punch vs. Rangers" the Minneapolis Star Tribune said.

Philadelphia Metro said, "‎Sean Avery dealt Minnesota’s Cal Clutterbuck a blow in the first period, then had an assist on a goal in the second."

"Rangers Win Fight Night From the Wild" the New York Times said. "The Rangers’ Sean Avery (16) and the Wild’s Cal Clutterbuck drew five-minute penalties for fighting at 16 minutes 20 seconds of the first period.

Another New York Times article with the headline "Rangers Drop the Gloves and Pick Up Two Points," said "The fighting began at 16 minutes 20 seconds of the first period, after the Rangers’ Sean Avery and Clutterbuck got tangled up in front of the Wild net.

Jeff Z. Klein wrote, "Clutterbuck, the NHL leader in hits with more than 300 this season, and Avery looked at each other for a moment. Then they shed their gloves and their helmets before engaging in a lengthy scrap."

He quoted Avery saying, “I went back to the bench and thought about it, and there really wasn’t anything that we said,” Avery said. He added that he thought he probably should have fought in the Rangers’ 2-1 loss to Ottawa on Sunday.

Tortorella said he liked his team’s toughness, especially that of Avery, according to Klein in the Times.

"Rangers tame Wild to strengthen grip on playoff berth" Reuters article said. "New York regained the lead when Gomez blasted the puck into the net off a Sean Avery pass."

"Lack of offensive firepower dooms Wild in 2-1 road loss to the Rangers" The Queensberry Rules said. "Right away Sean Avery didn't like a slash he received from Nick Schultz and the two would exchange a few words."

They had the longest report on the fight: "Sean Avery would drop the gloves with Cal Clutterbuck. The fight started with both combatants taking their helmets off. 

Soon after both dropping the helmets the two would engage in a fairly spirited affair and Avery threw the first left hand as he then started to work the right hand but Clutterbuck rallied back with a few right hands of his own as they became entangled in each other's sweater. 

Clutterbuck tried to throw some uppercuts but none of them appeared to land and he opted to try to hit the back of his head and it was Avery landing the last few punches as both pugilists fell to the ice exhausted.  Both would earn majors for fighting."

In a piece called "Minnesota Wild at New York Rangers: The Morning After" a publication called Hockey and Wilderness said, "Sean Avery and Colton Orr took liberties with Niklas Backstrom and the rest of the undersized Wild.

"Lifeless Minnesota Wild lose 2-1 to New York Rangers" Pioneer Press said, "Cal Clutterbuck inspired the bench somewhat when he scrapped with fellow agitator Sean Avery in front of the Wild net."

"Wild, scrappy win for Rangers" the Daily News Wire Services headline said. They quoted Avery: ""That's how you've got to play against a team like that," said Rangers agitator Sean Avery, who had an assist and a fight. "They play a system that's frustrating, but we just played through it.""

The New York Daily News headline read "Rangers able to tame Wild, 2-1". The Daily News said, "John Tortorella came in and let the dogs run free, and Sean Avery returned to resume nipping at everyone's heels."

The same article said that " on a second straight sleepy night at the Garden, Avery provided just enough of a wake-up call - not to mention setting up the game-winning goal - as the Rangers slogged their way to a 2-1 victory over Lemaire's Minnesota Wild"

They pointed out that the teams had combined for six shots on goal in the game's first 16:20 when Avery lingered in the Minnesota zone to agree to a fight with Wild winger Cal Clutterbuck.

They got a good quote out of Avery, who has been avoiding the media: "I was trying to get guys energized, I was trying to get myself into the game," Avery told The News. "I had a little bit of regret from the Ottawa game. I thought I should have done something similar to get the guys going, and I didn't. So I just wasn't going to let that opportunity go by again."

The Daily News quoted Tortorella giving Avery a good review, too: "I think that helped. I think that allowed him to get into his game," Tortorella said. "Those things are momentum swings, and I thought we did a really good job there."