Hockey Stuff: Sean Avery’s Latest

Hockey bad boy Sean Avery is always giving fans something to talk about. This NHL post season, he’s scored three goals in three games to help lead the New York Rangers to a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven series against the New Jersey Devils.

But on Sunday, Avery did something hockey observers say hasn’t been done before. With the Rangers on a power play, he set up in front of the net, occupied by the Devils’ Martin Brodeur – probably the best goalie ever to play the game – but instead of facing the play (with his back to Brodeur) Avery faced Brodeur. Then…well, just watch…and make sure you watch until the end, when Avery himself scores. By the way, that’s the Carolina Hurricanes’ own John Forslund (who works the playoffs for the Versus network) on the call…

POST-MORTEM: This just came down from the NHL… “National Hockey League Senior Executive Vice President and Director of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell today issued the following advisory on the interpretation of Rule 75 – Unsportsmanlike Conduct: ‘An unsportsmanlike conduct minor penalty (Rule 75) will be interpreted and applied, effective immediately, to a situation when an offensive player positions himself facing the opposition goaltender and engages in actions such as waving his arms or stick in front of the goaltender’s face, for the purpose of improperly interfering with and/or distracting the goaltender as opposed to positioning himself to try to make a play.'”