Caps Briefing: You Be The Agitator
Going into the Caps' opening round playoff series with the Rangers, hockey writers across the country said the key matchup would be Sean Avery on Alex Ovechkin. The Rangers' Avery has made a name for himself as one of the most annoying people in hockey, if not in all of sports. The Capitals were thought overmatched, but the fans, like a seventh man with a vile temper, came through.
Caps fans allegedly spit on Rangers coach John Tortorrella while shouting some difficult questions about the personal lives of his players, prompting the coach to throw a water bottle into the stands. While Tortorella served his suspension, the Capitals achieved a 3-3 tie in a series that looked out of reach when the Rangers led 3-1 and had beaten both Caps goalies. Meanwhile, Sean Avery has taken so many dumb penalties trying to start fights that his coaches have made him a healthy scratch. This is a great achievement for all the Capitals who didn't retaliate.
While most hockey players need to actually take the ice to make a difference in a game, Avery got some of the year's biggest hockey headlines with his indefinite suspension from the Dallas Stars for misogynistic public comments. Avery's ex-girlfriend, Elisha Cuthbert, dates Calgary defenseman Dion Phaneuf. Avery convened an impromptu pregame news conference to tell the Calgary media how proud he felt to have dated the actress first. The Stars gave him to the Rangers for nothing, and agreed to pay half of his remaining salary under the NHL's waiver rule.
Last year, when the Caps made their first appearance in the playoffs since 2003, the team was still building an identity and a fan base. They released a fairly neutral advertising slogan, "Rock the Red," using popular slang to ask fans to wear their jerseys. The Rangers, meanwhile, already had an identity as a team that could upset superstars and win playoff series through the antics of Sean Avery. Avery helped the Rangers beat the Devils by waving his stick in the face of superstar goalie Martin Brodeur until the latter was too distracted to stop an easy shot. Brodeur famously would not shake Avery's hand at the end of the series. Of course, the two already had a little bit of history, but never before had a new rule been made to keep the ground even between the two of them.
Caps fans like those shown above had a lot of ground to make up. No current Capitals player is famous for upsetting opponents. None of the Capitals is famous for cheating, teasing, taunting or saying mean things to change the course of a hockey game. No one since the great Dale Hunter has played that role on this team. We had thought that the current Caps could earn a reputation like that of the Detroit Red Wings for playing upstanding, gentlemanly hockey and winning without needing to insult or attack their opponents. Instead, something much more interesting is happening. Washington hockey fans, previously an unknown quantity outside of Landover, have proven more effective at upsetting opponents than Sean Avery.
If you think you have what it takes to be a part of this new civic image, come cheer the Caps over the Rangers at Verizon Center tomorrow night. Good luck finding tickets, though.