Zen Avery Leads New York Rangers Over New Jersey Devils

When the Avery Line of Sean Avery, Scott Gomez, and Ryan Callahan is the first line for the New York Rangers, they are undefeated. The Rangers season turned around when Avery returned to the team more Zen-minded after anger management.

The Avery, Gomez, Callahan line started the game against the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden and the Rangers dominated their cross-town rivals. In the first period of that game, the Rangers outshot the Devils 20 to 10 and the A-G-C line had half the Rangers shots.

Callahan scored in the second period, assisted by Gomez and Avery, with Avery screening the Devils goalie, Martin Brodeur. The Rangers got all three of their goals in the second period.

The Rangers were backstopped by Henrik Lundqvist, who earned his twentieth NHL shut-out. It was the Rangers 40th win and it was the fourth year in a row they hit the 40 win mark.

In the third period, the frustrated Devils wanted to fight and David Clarkson grabbed onto Avery but the guy formerly known as the superpest and king of the agitators refused to fight. He got a two minute period for roughing and Clarkson got four minutes plus a ten minute misconduct.

In Saturday's New York Times, Avery was quoted as saying he has a devil on his shoulder and he has to keep it in line. The Times article revealed he got more Zen-minded in anger management programs on both coasts of the USA.

The Rangers-Devils game was hyped as a re-match between Avery and Brodeur, whose battles in the first round of the playoffs last year lead to The Avery Rule. It was also seen as a possible preview of the first round of the playoffs this year as the Rangers and Devils would meet each other again if the post season started today.

Avery was hit in the face by Brodeur's stick in the first period, according to Newsday.com, but didn't retaliate. Avery took it to a referee when Brodeur popped him with his stick after being screened, according to Jane McManus of The Journal News.

Avery refused to take up several Devils’ challenges to fight, especially late in the game. Brodeur hooked him. They had no further interactions reminiscent of last year's shenanigans.

Avery had several skirmishes with Devils defenseman Mike Mottau, starting when Mottau flattened him at the blue line in the game’s first minute. Later, Avery crosschecked Mottau in the back, then backed away judiciously when Mottau shoved him, according to The New York Times.

In the third period, Avery was the center of attention again. He rammed Devils defenseman Johnny Oduya into the boards, then refused to fight Clarkson, who threw him around like a rag doll and twice knocked him down, according to the Times.

The Rangers on the bench applauded Avery’s restraint. Chris Drury hit the boards with his stick in tribute. In the game’s final minute, Mike Rupp jumped Avery at center ice, but once again Avery did not respond.

The New York Times asked Avery afterward if he felt that teams were trying to run at him, and quoted Avery saying wryly, “A little bit.”

When asked about how he resisted the temptation to hit back while being pummeled, he sounded as if he were recalling something he might have heard in therapy. “I think about a happy place,” Avery said, according to The Times.

"New Jersey targeted Avery for hits before and after the whistle, they just couldn't get him to lose his cool, the AP review of the game reported.

"David Clarkson took a double roughing penalty and was given a misconduct in the third period after yanking Avery around like a rag doll and pulling him down to the ice when the Rangers forward refused to drop his gloves and fight."

There was no drama between Rangers agitator Sean Avery and Devils goalie Martin Brodeur, two long-time adversaries, but Avery annoyed David Clarkson enough in the third period to get the New Jersey enforcer off the ice, The Globe and Mail said.

"The two were locked up in the Rangers zone, with Clarkson tugging on Avery, who chose not to drop the gloves. Clarkson kept pulling until Avery fell to the ice face first. Clarkson got a double penalty for roughing plus a misconduct, while Avery was given only two minutes for roughing."

When Avery flattened Oduya against the boards, drawing chants from the crowd of "Avery, Avery."