This is how Oilers player Theo Peckham saw the events unfold before he went after Avery per Jesse Spector at the Blueshirts Blog...
“I watched my teammate (Ladislav Smid) ask a guy to fight, and Avery turned around and said, ‘No, no, next shift,’ and then Avery turned around and suckerpunched him,” Peckham said. “Then he skated by our bench laughing. I definitely made a little mistake and went a little wonky there, but we’re a family and sometimes you have to make a stand.”
...if true that confirms the sucker punch. Love that Avery laughed at the bench though.
Original Post:
EJ Hradek at ESPN tweets...
To be clear. I'n hearing there will be no suspensions from today's EDM-NYR game. There likely will be fines.
EJHradek_ESPN
...i don't care what anyone says that was a sucker punch by Avery. Smid asked Avery to fight, Avery turned it down and when Smid went to skate away Avery punched him in the chops. There are codes in hockey and Avery just broke one.
...having said that I still love Avery and what he did worked as the Rangers just poured it on afterward. I hope he does the same thing to Crosby tomorrow.
Remember to follow me on Twitter & Facebook or e-mail me at nyrfan94@yahoo.com.
48 comments:
I'm going to disagree. Smid keep on looking at Avery and then the play, then Avery dropped his gloves and hit Smid right as Smid was dropping his gloves. I think it was a little lame, but clean.
I really dont see it as a cheap shot. Smid threw his gloves down in concurrence, and avery just beat him to the punch *pun intended
Yea I dont understand how Kevin is calling this a cheap shot. Smid challenges Avery and then what does he expect. He should have kept his eye on him. I would say most fights I see when the players drop the gloves they immediately start punching. Only the big heavyweights take their time and square off. Avery displayed some impressive reflexes. Fighting is about being quick not just power.
Kevin back up Avery. "if true that confirms the sucker punch" you should be saying something like this "Smid got destroyed and he has his teammates making up what Avery said" Of course the Oilers are going to say things to make Avery look bad.
No way was that a cheap shot...the one thing we're not hearing here is Avery's side of the story. Maybe he did say no to the fight at first, but who knows what Smid said back to him? I can imagine certain derogatory terms for a certain part of the female anatomy being thrown in Sean's direction which could have set him off. I think the only "code" that Avery broke was the one that says most combatants must get each other in a bear hug before throwing punches to each others helmets. Avery grabbed the guy and before Smid could even think about getting his hands up to defend himself, he drove a good, effective jab right to the kisser. Next time I'm in a bar fight, or a hockey game, I want Sean Avery on my side.
Sorry guys, that was clearly a cheap shot by Avery. Smid is an idiot for initiating a fight and then letting his guard down. But, Avery had plenty of opportunity to fight Smid fairly. Which is why I think it was stupid for Avery to do what he did b/c I think he coulda beat him easily. Avery waited for Smid to let his guard down and then basically jumped him and fired a punch. I love Avery and typically despite the trash talking and his physical play he's not a cheap shot artist. That was as cheap as it gets
Looks like we're in the minority PC.
At the time it happened I wasn'tquite sure what went down but the speed at which Avery threw off his gloves and landed the punch didn't seem quite right. Smid did seem to challenge him and Avery seemed to decline the challenge. My son, who has played a lot off hockey immediately saw it as a cheap shot by Avery.
But who knows if Smid said anything? Maybe Smid challenges Avery, Avery says no or wait, and then Smid calls him something and it sets Aves off. I'm going to give Avery the benefit of the doubt. You challenge a guy to a fight, and you better be ready. It's not Aves' fault Smid let his guard down and is slow.
Cheap shot or not, HOLY CRAP WAS THAT A BOMB!
I'm pretty sure they were making eye contact the entire time.
no way that was a cheap shot. smid had dropped the gloves and was backing away to get in position for the staring at each other part of the bout...whoops.
the real disgrace is why should avery have to fight after a clean hit. it wasn't late, from behind or at the head.
if smid wants to stand up for his teammate better to steam in with gloves off than politely ask would you like to fight sir? just like avery did in boston back in october.
fuck smid and fuck the oilers. teams have been doing shit like this to the rangers for 40 years, nice to get the first round TKO for once. and the hat trick for gabby!
First of all I'm really getting tired of this new (two year old) trend of players having to defend themselves after a monster (and clean) hit. Totally legal hit. The ref was standing RIGHT THERE.
Ok now Avery has to defend himself...why? F that, you come looking for a fight get ready. The whole squaring off before a fight concept is corny anyway...why, so you can grab a jersey an punch a helmet? Smid should have been knocked out just because he had a problem with the hit and went up to Avery about it. Awesome
i dont think it was cheap they both dropped gloves as much as i hate to admit it it was just like the gaborik carcillo incident . in both cases 2 people were slow to the draw and in both cases 2 people got quick shots in that caught the other off guard .
Well Scott Walker didn't even get suspended for this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Kd6_eccyYc
And that was nothing close to what Avery did.
If you are going to challenge a player to a fight and then not be ready after egging him on to fight- how is that a cheap shot? To me Smid looks and plays the fool, they both drop the gloves at the same time so there is no I wasn't prepared BS. Smid got caught plain and simple to a fight he created and then no showed.
When a player is challenged and says he's not going to go the challenger will obviously think it's not going to happen and drop his guard.
If Avery wanted to fight straight up why didn't he go at him right away? Why wait until Smid dropped his guard?
I don't think it's cut and dry and until I hear something from Avery it's all just interpretation by all of us.
Great discussion. I love it.
it was a cheap shot - and normally i don't think he's a cheap shot guy - he's just a loud mouth punk. but this time he crossed the line.
another time he did a smaller version cheap shot when he hit the bruins goalie during stoppage in play a yr or 2 ago
i'll never be an avery fan and i'll be glad when he's gone - this time for good
it looked to me as if he challenged, then they both kept looking back and forth at the play at hand, then Avery dropped his gloves as did Smid - only Avery was a step ahead so he kicked the crap out of him. Don't challenge someone and then expect it to disappear.
thats not what i saw. i saw a cheap shot punch
I think it was a little cheap. Avery definitely declined or said wait to get smid to let his guard down, but if you have time to drop the gloves and stick to fight, can't call it a suckerpunch.
Did not like Christensen throwing Aves under the bus in the postgame interviews. Just deflect the question or dance around it. No need to bring out your conflict in the media.
Btw, LIJoe- don't expect Avery to be gone after his contract. I see him taking less money to stay in NY, the only place he's really been accepted and really been effective
Wish I coulda watched this game, but I was stuck at work. Welcome Back Gabby! Excited for the next few games now that our guys are getting healthy.
When does Avery skate by their bench and start laughing? Anyone see where that happens? Doesn't look like he goes by their bench at all. The guy who is saying this was on the other side of the bench from where avery was going through the tunnel. I don't wanna call this guy a liar, but he's a liar.
Jack nailed it. You come at someone like that for a clean hit and you're going to be surprised when you take one in the kisser?
Avery didnt skate around looking for someone to punch in the back of the head. Smid came at him, Smid initiated, and Avery obliged.
Oh, and if you're going to go at someone, take your visor off,ya chicken@$%# (not that it mattered)
IM a die hard ranger fan, sean is a swine, a coward, his antics diminish the player he can be, ive waited three years for him to clean up his act, he has potential to be a really good player, he brings shame to the new york logo
IM A DIE HARD RANGER FAN, AVERYS ACT WAS TASTELESS, CLASSLESS, IVE WAITED 3 YEARS FOR THIS GUY TO CLEAN UP HIS ACT, HE IS A COWARD AND A SWINE AND IS A BLIGHT ON THE NEW YORK RANGER LOGO
AVERYS EXCESSIVE WHINING AND CRYING TO THE REFS REMINDS ME OF CROSBY, EVERYTIME CLARKSON CHALLENGES HIM, HE TURTLES, I NEVER HEARD OF ANYONE SAYING LETS FIGHT THE NEXT SHIFT, I PLAYED ALOT OF HOCKEY IN MY DAY, I NEVER SUCKERED PUNCHED ANYONE, LOOKED EM SQUARE IN THE EYE AND DROPPED THE GLOVES, I WOULDNT WAIT FOR ANOTHER SHIFT
The CAPS were a good idea, really bolstered your argument...
Anyway, stupid earth-worm-jim-lookin Christensen goes and calls it a sucker punch. As if he wasnt already enough of an empty jersey....
Kevin, you have to look at the video. Stop saying it was a cheap shot, you're losing credibility. He dropped his gloves before he got hit. And he was looking at him when he got hit. AVery hit him on the button. I agree with most everybody else.
Annoying Joe, it is what it is, why do you think Avery is on the 4th line and Prust is taking his place. You want to make a statement, do it on the ice, Averys hits was good, the sucker punch was not, Nick Fotiu kept his mouth shut , never yapped at the refs atagonizing them, Avery plays forhimself, for his rep, for his noteriety, he dosnt care about the team he plays for, look at Prust, no nonsense, hits and plays hard, thats how you play hockey, there is no arguement, Avery is a detriment, not an asset
Unfortunately it was a cheap shot. One need go no further than to look at the average fight of Avery and other non enforcer types. When it's done properly the gloves are dropped AND the helmets are removed - ESPECIALLY since Smid wears a visor. Yes Smid dropped his gloves but he was already too late to properly defend himself.
While I don't think it is so much a thing of Avery being a "coward" (he's fought plenty of guys and Smid is no heavyweight), it was a classless move. And because of it two of his teammates had to have completely unnecessary fights in a blowout game (not to mention Dubinsky getting tossed). Fortunately Boyle and Prust can handle themselves pretty well but what if one of them got hurt?
Bad form by Avery and honestly if I'm Tortorella I consider sitting him for a game. It's important for the Rangers to stand up for one another but the cause should always be right.
Yes Avery's job is to agitate but that was bush league. See Esa Tikkanen for unbush league agitation.
"there is no ARGUMENT, Avery is a detriment, not an asset'.... I wholeheartedly disagree with you. Avery took one bad penalty this year. He plays hard in the corner, just like prust, but avery has a goal and 8 assist. Some would say that is helping the team. Others would say his antics get other teams off their game. Then there is the record for the rangers with him playing and him not, cant argue with those. I think your blind hatred of avery is clouding your judgment as to whether he is a detriment or an assets. Kevin maybe you could set up a poll on the new website to see what real ranger fans think of avery.
How is that a sucker punch? Smid challenged Avery and dropped his gloves. Was it a sucker punch just because Avery was faster than him and threw the first punch? Smid was looking right at him. It is not like Avery blind-sided him.
Also, this isn't MMA. This is Hockey. Don't expect to get a ref to ask both fighters if they are ready to fight. Expect to fight if you challenge a guy and drop your gloves. Smid asked for it, and Avery delivered. Did the oiler player sucker punch prust because he started throwing before prust had his gloves off?
Anonymous, for two seasons sean avery was my favorite New York Ranger, but Ive seen him punch players when they werent looking, ive seen him turn down Clarkson numerous times and turtle, i played alot of hockey in my day, you win some , you lose some, but you have respect for youre self, Avery dosnt respect the game, hes selfish, its all about him, yes i agree hes played well, but you know something, he could be alot better if he played the game and stopped whining and yapping at the refs, most challenges, he turns down, ive never turned down one, you lose , you lose, hes whines like syd the kid who i really hate, i used to love avery but hes becoming an embaressment to the Rangers and the game, i hope he turns it around because like i said, i used to love this guy
I guess the thing that bothered me the most more then the fight was Avery telling Smid, Ill fight next shift, in playing hockey and watching it for 40 years i never heard a player tell another player, ill fight you next shift, it blew my mind
By the way I king clancy left the last two comments
Its funny, I didnt see anyone with a"king clancy" jersey on the ice.
who knows what he said? the kid was looking at him the entire time, the kid started the altercation, and the kid paid. period.
Amazing how people are quoting things that Avery said on the ice.
annoying joe, maybe you are annoying, if you were an old geezer like me, you would remember the the bill chadwick interviews with king clancy, a hall of fame defensemen and referee, their interviews enlightened fans about hockey in the 30s and 40s, they were both nhl ledgends, something that avery will never be, avery is a punk, but then thats my opinion and if it annoys you so be it, avery will get his and i hope he gets it soon He is a PUNK with a capital P hows that for caps
i respect prust, i respect boyle, i even respect the petrified tree boogard, but its not this season, its the last two, you forget all the crap he has done, he is like a pitbull puppy that grows into a dog and bites his master, i dont hate avery, i want him to be a great new york ranger, and he could be if he put the team first and his ego and antics behind him, he could be valuable, last night he coulda got someone hurt for what, an 8-2 blowout, gimme a break
I saw the replay on nhl on the fly, they had a close up of Avery on the boards, he was saying next shift okay and then the idiot dropped his guard and got dropped, at first i thought it was funny as hell but then when Avery was being let out by thr ref, then i thought about how smid relaxed and let down his guard, i watched it five times, he did the old cowardly lion act, why you I outta, let me at em, let me at em, being protected by the ref, hes a joke in the league, he stands for nothing, what impact did he have in yesterdays game, nada
Im not annoyed, I'm annoying.
I'm not denying previous antics, which bother me, (I HATED that nonsense with brodeur, waving his stick in fattys face) but this wasn't a sucker punch.
Wanna see a sucker punch? See Bertuzzi on Moore or Brown on Sandstrom or Dale Hunter on Whatshisface from the isles. Those are suckerpunches.
You're judging Avery on his past misdeeds and not looking at this incident objectively. But you're old so I forgive you.
What the hell are we doing? this blog isn't even active anymore!
Is this guy serious? r you really even a ranger fan? What about avery taking on carcillo last year, or stuart this year. Plus all the point he gets.... "i wouldn't sucker punch anyone" what can we say king... you're an amazing person...
to anonymous, alot of points, he didnt get very many last year, if he concentrated on hockey, maybe he would, ive suffered through 44 campaigns as a die hard fan, weve won 1 cup in 70 years, if thats not a die hard fan i dont know what is, i want to respect avery, not hate him, im not asking him to be a white knight, im asking him not to be like carcillo, carcillo is white trash personified, i wish i could have skated one shift againest carcillo, but even i who hate him wouldnt sucker punch him, thats what hockey goons do, they drpo em fair and the bombs go. thanx annoying joe i knew youd be cool
Wow, some people are either blind or can't admit when one of their guys does wrong.
Avery obliged?? Really?
Good call Kevin!!!!
well enough avery talk for two days, lol, what a fantastic ranger win over the pens, callahan and dubinsky are the comeback kids, the new young guns, ilove it, i havent been this proud of the rangers in a long time LETS GO RANGERS
Yes, Avery obliged.
With extreme prejudice! HaHa!
So you're saying as soon as Smid challenged him, avery dropped the gloves??
If Avery said next shift then Smid should not have had to watch.I love the fighting aspect of hockey but declining to fight until the other guy turns away then suckering him is justv plain sissy like I think Avery brings lack of respect to the game of hockey
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