Caps fans hold up a sign to agitate the Rangers’ great agitator. Photo by clydeorama.

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.