NHL amends unsportsmanlike rule

NEW YORK – Sean Avery found yet another way to annoy Martin Brodeur, and forced the NHL to change a rule in his honor.

The Hall of Fame resume of the New Jersey Devils goalie doesn’t resonate with Avery, the New York Rangers forward, who has turned agitation into an art form. During a 5-on-3 power play in New Jersey’s 4-3 overtime playoff victory Sunday night, Avery planted himself in the crease with his back to the action and faceguarded Brodeur.

Holding his stick upward, Avery waved it side to side and up and down to block Brodeur’s vision in a newfangled method of screening. Brodeur gave him a whack, but that was hardly a deterrent.

The NHL moved quickly on Monday to eliminate this activity by making an on-the-fly rule interpretation.

“An unsportsmanlike conduct minor penalty will be interpreted and applied, effective immediately, to a situation when an offensive player positions himself facing the opposition goaltender and engages in actions such as waving his arms or stick in front of the goaltender’s face, for the purpose of improperly interfering with and/or distracting the goaltender as opposed to positioning himself to try to make a play,” Colin Campbell, the NHL director of hockey operations, said in a statement.