PITTSBURGH — The Rangers’ 4-3 defeat to the Penguins here yesterday afternoon was painful, but the unequal treatment under the law that Sean Avery received from the refereeing tandem of Dave Jackson and Steve Kozari raises questions far more profound than whether the Blueshirts will qualify for the playoffs.
For the refusal of the officials to call infractions committed in plain sight against the Rangers’ winger not only casts doubt on the integrity of the NHL, it is tantamount to state-sanctioned terrorism.
“I don’t think Sean is being treated fairly,” Rangers coach John Tortorella said without equivocation. “I’m the first one to say that Sean makes his bed with some of the things that have happened, but I think he’s done his penance. . . . He’s done his penance and I hope he’s given a fair shake.
“If he does something stupid, then give him a penalty. If he deserves to be kicked out of the game, then kick him out of the game, but the way he’s trying concentrate on playing I hope he gets treated fairly.”
Avery was slammed into the boards away from the puck early in the first; crosschecked in the slot at a whistle soon after that; run in the neutral zone without the puck by Hal Gill in the second; and, hit upside the head by Gill later in the period. Not one time did either referee call a penalty.
“You see every game Sean gets hit from behind and slashed and there are no calls,” said Henrik Lundqvist, beaten by Sidney Crosby for the winner at 9:36 of the third after he split the Derek Morris-Wade Redden pair. “I expected it the first couple of games, but it has to be the same for everybody and I honestly don’t think that has been the case.
“It’s come to the point where we probably have to have a discussion with some people.”
Yes, sure, right, like with impartial jurist Gary Bettman.
The Rangers were shorthanded nine times in the match for a total of 13:01 while getting three power plays of their own worth 5:56. One of those calls against the Blueshirts was a five-minute major for interference (and game misconduct) called by a linesman against Colton Orr early in the third for his hit against the wall that bloodied Mark Easton.
“I don’t know what it is about this building, but it always seem to be about the PK here,” said a frustrated Lundqvist. “There were a lot of calls, and some were very cheap, I think.”
The Blueshirts went with four defensemen almost exclusively. Paul Mara (eye) was limited to 5:14 of ice, all in the first two periods. Mike Sauer got 1:59 of ice in the first, but not a shift thereafter. Sauer no doubt will return to Hartford today while the Blueshirts promote another defenseman from the AHL Wolf Pack.
That might help tomorrow night at the Garden against the Devils, but even more valuable than that would be equal application of the law as it applies to Avery as he faces (or has his back to) Martin Brodeur.
The Rangers shouldn’t hold their breath.
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The Rangers played short a man for 28 seconds after Orr’s major expired because Tortorella did not put a man in the box to serve the penalty. “I didn’t forget, I was waiting for a stop of play [before the penalty was to expire] that never happened,” he said. “I hurt the team. It was nobody’s responsibility but mine. It won’t happen again.”
Penguins 4 Rangers 3