Rangers Complain: Referees' Calls Make It Open Season On Avery

Sean Avery must think there's a target on his back as well as a demon on his shoulder.

On the day the New York Times published a feature story about Sean Avery's stint in Anger Management programs on both coasts of the USA, and described him as calmer, more focused, more Zen in his thinking and a mediator.

The New York Rangers expressed a good deal of frustration, even angry, about the way he is treated by referees.

In the post-game interview, after their game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Rangers coach John Tortorella was asked, "Do you think Avery's being dealt with appropriately?"

"No," Tortorella said. "No I don't. I think he's done his penance."

The interview is on the NHL's website at http://rangers.nhl.tv/team/console.jsp?catid=-6&id=38008.

Steve Zipay at newsday.com had a lot to say about the treatment of Sean Avery by the officials.

The Rangers' players also said they believed that the officials were not treating Avery fairly.

Avery was whistled for goaltender interference in Atlanta, in the Rangers last game. The call appeared to be wrong at the time and replays showed a defenseman collided with the goalie, not Avery.

In the game in Pittsburgh, the Penguins banged him around and there were no calls made by the referee.

The same thing happened in Montreal, in the Rangers game against the Canadiens.

Lundqvist said, "He gets hit from behind [by Crosby and Tyler Kennedy], he gets slashed, there's no calls."

Rangers captain Chris Drury said, "I do think that Sean is a marked guy. He's played extremely hard and clean since he's been back."

Scott Gomez, quoted in an earlier article by Zipay, said, "He gets the puck, five guys on their team want to kill him."

Avery was on the receiving end of at least five big ones, starting with a blast near the end of the first period by Blake Comeau.

After his first game with the Rangers this season, Zipay wrote that the Islanders seemed to make Avery their personal piñata, nailing him repeatedly with solid hits in his return to the NHL.

"Avery was on the receiving end of at least five big ones, starting with a blast near the end of the first period by Blake Comeau," he said.

"All I want is for him to get a fair shake," Tortorella said. "The way he's trying to concentrate on the game and trying to play, I hope he gets treated fairly."

Despite being penalized unfairly and hit repeatedly without penalties called, Avery has not complained or retaliated.

"It’s like that little devil on your shoulder,” Allen Salkin quoted Avery in Saturday's New York Times. “I have to keep him under control.”

He has not commented on the things he cannot control, such as NHL referees or the target on his back.