Sean Avery And John Tortorella Bromance After Rangers Give Away 2 Playoff Games

As New York Rangers coach John Tortorella and team agitator Sean Avery made their exit interviews at Madison Square Garden, it sounded like the death of Averella the monster and the birth of Averella the "bromance."

It was James Duthie, the host of the NHL on TSN, writing in The Ottawa Citizen, who first called the relationship that has evolved between Avery and Tortorella as a "bromance for the ages" and dubbed it "Averella."

The term Averella was created in the tradition "Brangelina," a hybrid term the media invented for celebrity couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. To many, Averella sounds more like a villainous, two-headed, fire-breathing dragon, or a monster like Godzilla.

During their first round playoff series with the Washington Capitals, the monster cut off one of its heads, but it grew back, and then it had the other head chopped off, and it grew back. Tortorella benched Avery for a game, and then the NHL suspended Tortorella.

As he left Madison Square Garden, Tortorella talked to reporters and said, "[Sean] is not being treated fairly in the league as far as on ice. He is not being treated fairly," according to Larry Brooks, writing in the New York Post.

"There's a misperception about Sean and I. We get along great. We're very honest with each other and we were after (game four). I would (sit him) again, for the short term and the long term. It was building up. I know that guy wants to help this team win. He's not treated fairly in this league, as far as on-the-ice stuff that happens, but he cares. He cares."

That quote was recorded by Steve Zipay on newsday.com.

Andrew Gross, writing for the Boston Herald, and others said Avery was the Rangers’ best player on the ice in Game 7, citing his "intense and clean work along the boards and behind the net as he finally got on track after his game five benching."

The New York Times noted that the return of forward Sean Avery from exile provided a jolt on the ice and among fans who adore his feisty play, referring to the time he rejoined the Rangers at the NHL Trade Deadline, and after being benched by Tortorella.

Mark Hermann, writing in Newsday.com, wondered if they need to change coaches or just add Avery. "Fact is, they don't make the playoffs if not for the Renney-led 10-2-1 start," he claimed.  "Maybe Renney would have been just fine had his roster included Sean Avery, Nik Antropov and Derek Morris, as Tortorella's did."

He concluded, "Perhaps the upgrade in experience, offense and nastiness acquired at the trading deadline was all the culture changing the club needed."

Tortorella praised Avery as a player on the edge, according to Steve Zipay. He said Tortorella had nothing but praise for No. 16 after he played 20:59, registered an assist, had four hits and five shot attempts. 

"I thought Sean played so well," he quoted Tortorella. "He was one of our best as far as keeping the puck."

Michael Obernauer, writing in the Daily News, noted that Sean Avery and John Tortorella proved to be a lot alike, noting that each said he's sorry for behavior at the end of the season and vowed to change.

He said, "Maybe there never should have been much question as to whether John Tortorella and Sean Avery could get along, not when they have so much in common," starting with their "considerable fire."

He reported that there were seeds of hope; that with Tortorella running the show from day one, the Rangers might have a team to really enjoy next season.

"Avery sat in the locker room and spoke of losing his own head in the late stages of game four," Obernauer quoted Avery. "Really for the first time in my career, I feel like there's a guy that's really gonna make me a better player. I couldn't think of another coach that I'd like to play for."

Obernauer concluded, "It's mutual admiration few would've expected when the two came to Broadway around the beginning of March, especially given the opinion Tortorella espoused as a TV analyst earlier in the season that Avery "doesn't belong in the league."

Zippay got Avery to talk about the way he is treated by the NHL and referees:
 "If the organization's behind me and my teammates and coaches are behind me, then I just have to go out and play my game and not worry about the suits sitting in the [NHL] office on Madison Avenue or wherever," Avery said.

"I can handle the abuse that I take, but I just don't want to be put on a separate page and have my own rule book. I don't think that's the way sports should be played or governed."

In game seven Avery responded by winning battles on the boards that led to an assist on Nik Antropov's goal. The benching "let me sit back and take a breath. I lost a little bit of focus and he [Tortorella] brought it back. I completely agree with the decision,'' Avery said.

"That might have been something that was meant for next year and the year after and the year after that, not necessarily that day . . . He'll teach us what it takes to win, because with the exception of maybe Gomer [Scott Gomez] and Dru [Chris Drury], I don't think we know what it is to win yet."