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PITTSBURGH — When it comes to drawing attention to himself, New York Rangers pest Sean Avery is as skilled as his hockey talents are modest.
And that, say the Pittsburgh Penguins, is the point. If they ignore him like the New Jersey Devils could not, then Avery's antics will not have an effect on the second-round NHL playoff series between the Rangers and Penguins that begins tonight.
Georges Laraque, who had his own nasty encounter with Avery 2½ years ago when both players were with different teams, said the Penguins are too accustomed to Avery to let him bother them. If the Devils and goaltender Martin Brodeur had been able to do that when Avery did his semaphore routine in front of the net, they might not have lost to the Rangers in five games.
"They talked so much about what [Avery] did in front of Brodeur that it's almost like they forgot they had a game to play," Laraque said. "Us, we're not like that. When you have a mission and you want to win, you can't focus on that stuff.
"He's a good player and can be effective the way he plays, but if he sees that when he chirps nobody reacts, then why would he keep doing it?"
Well, because people react most of the time. Avery has long been accused of crossing the line in the verbal wars. Laraque accused Avery of directing a racial slur at him during a game in October, 2005. Avery was not suspended because the NHL could not confirm he said anything untoward.
"Some of the stuff that he does, you don't need to get to that level," Laraque said. "In the game of hockey, people respect each other. When the game [or series] is over, you shake their hand.
"When hockey is over, you want to be respected by your peers. Because your peers are your brothers; we all respect each other. Some guys maybe don't respect guys and I think that's wrong."
There is nothing wrong with being an agitator, the Penguins said. They have one of their own in forward Jarkko Ruutu, who can work his mouth as well as his stick. The difference, the Penguins say, is that Ruutu knows where to draw the line.
"I've had a front-row seat for more than a few of them," Penguins defenceman Rob Scuderi said of Ruutu's verbal jabs. "Mostly it's pretty funny. Most of the guys, even when you're ripping on them, they kind of laugh it off."
The problem with guys such as Avery, says veteran Penguins winger Gary Roberts, is that he can be just as much trouble to his own teammates.
Roberts, 41, recalls having to answer for a few insults made by tiny Theo Fleury when they played for the Calgary Flames.
"I got beat up a few times for him," Roberts said. "[One night], Fleury started it and [fellow Flame] Tim Hunter and I had to fight. Ken Baumgartner knocked my two front teeth out that night."
Roberts, who said he will decide before the game if he can return from a groin injury, learned a long time ago that the personal satisfaction of taking revenge on a player such as Avery is not worth it. He took a double-minor penalty against Avery in a game this season but said it's a different story in the playoffs where every goal is far more important.
"He's yelled at me, called me every name in the book," Roberts said.
"But what are you going to do? Hey, if you drop the gloves and both guys get five [minutes in penalties], great. But you don't want to take an extra two.
"Nothing is worse than costing a team in the playoffs to settle a score.
"That's when you put yourself ahead of the team."
After Avery sent the Devils into an uproar by waving his arms in front of Brodeur to keep him from seeing the puck, the NHL's head office ruled that any further stunts like that would result in a two-minute penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. Penguins head coach Michel Therrien said he will make sure the league lives up to its promise.
"We will talk to the [officiating] supervisor and we hope that the referees will protect the goalie," Therrien said. "It's supposed to be done and I'm expecting that it's going to be done."
As for Avery, the last word goes to Ruutu, who was reminded of the Ranger's appearance in Vanity Fair magazine and his plans to be a summer intern for the fashion magazine Vogue.
"Those things are for girls."
