Breaking News!!!! Sean Avery Hospitalized

According to the N.Y. Daily News Rangers LW Sean Avery has been rushed to a hospital with a cardiac arrest. No other details at the moment. Will post as soon as details are made available.

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SEAN AVERY SIDELINED FOR REMAINDER OF SEASON

New York, April 30, 2008—New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that forward Sean Avery suffered a lacerated spleen in last night’s game, and will be sidelined for the remainder of the season. He was taken to St. Vincent’s hospital after the game, and was admitted following a CT scan. He is expected to make a full recovery during the off-season.

That is very good news considering what has happened. Sean Avery may not be liked amongst the players and fans around the league but to us Ranger fans he is GOD. I hope he recovers soon. I hope this starts a blaze with the team to complete the near impossible and come all the way back to beat the Pens. I hope the Rangers resign him. I'll keep you updated on this if anymore details are released.

FINAL UPDATE!!!!!

Rangers forward Sean Avery hospitalized

By IRA PODELL
AP Hockey Writer
NEW YORK (AP) _ New York Rangers forward Sean Avery has been hospitalized after
lacerating his spleen during a playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In a statement Wednesday, the team said the noted agitator was taken to St.
Vincent's Medical Center after New York's 5-3 loss Tuesday night and was
admitted following a CT scan.

Avery, whose spleen was not removed and isn't expected to need surgery, likely
will be hospitalized for a few days, team spokesman John Rosasco said.

Michael Fagan, spokesman for St. Vincent's Medical Center, said Avery is in
"stable" condition.

Rosasco said it's unclear when Avery was injured, but the forward complained
during the game of pain that got worse. Shortly after the game, Avery went in a
car from Madison Square Garden to the hospital with team physician Dr. Andrew
Feldman.

"He walked into the hospital," Rosasco said. "He was never in a
life-threatening situation."

Avery's mother, Marlene, told the Toronto Sun that Avery's spleen had not
ruptured, but he had suffered internal bleeding.

The spleen is an organ about the size of a fist on the left side of the body,
behind the stomach. It helps the body fight infection and filters the blood. A
person can live without a spleen, although they lose some of their ability to
fight infections.

The 28-year-old Avery will be out for the remainder of the season, the Rangers
said, but is expected to make a full recovery.

New York trails Pittsburgh 3-0 in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference
semifinal series and can be eliminated as early as Thursday night in Game 4 at
the Garden. The Rangers went 33-14-10 with Avery in the lineup this season and
9-13-3 when he was sidelined with injuries.

Avery was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings in February 2007 and
sparked the team's playoff run in which the Rangers went 17-6-6 in games he
played following his arrival.

"We're definitely going to miss him," forward Ryan Callahan said after practice
Wednesday. "He's a real big part of the team. He's come up with some real big
points, scored big goals and obviously gets under the other team's skin.

"It's a tough loss to lose him. But we've got a lot of guys in here. Guys have
to step up, and we have to concentrate on the next game."

Avery had an assist on the Rangers' second goal Tuesday night.

"He's an important part of our team, obviously. There's no doubt about it,"
forward Brandon Dubinsky said. "At the same time, we have a job to do and it
starts (Thursday) night. We can't sit here feeling sorry for ourselves and
being sad and having the 'poor me' thought because one of our players is out."

Avery, set to be an unrestricted free agent after this season, is known for
pushing the envelope on the ice and off it.

In the Rangers' first-round victory over New Jersey, Avery frustrated the
Devils and goalie Martin Brodeur. The highlight came in Game 3 when Avery
planted himself in the crease with his back to the action and faceguarded
Brodeur.

"I've played for 15 years in this league. I've been watching games for 33
years. I had never seen that in my life," Brodeur said.

The NHL moved quickly to forbid the activity.

Nonetheless, Brodeur was so incensed by Avery's antics that he refused to shake
his hand after the Rangers' clinching victory in Game 5. Avery tied for the
team lead with three goals in the series.

In his NHL time with the Detroit Red Wings, the Kings and the Rangers, he has
elevated a knack of riling people into an art form. His targets find themselves
mouthing off, or worse, getting so angered that they draw a penalty.

"On the ice, things always happen," Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. "It's
emotional and intense. Guys are not the best of friends on the ice, but you
never want to see someone's health in jeopardy. I think we all wish him the
best.

"He's a guy who brings a lot of emotion to his team. I think we are a good
example, we learned from when we lost some guys that other guys step up. When
you lose guys you push harder to be better. So I don't think any of us will
take that for granted."

Avery has also had an ongoing feud with 41-year-old Penguins forward Gary
Roberts, who has yet to play in this series. Despite his 21 seasons of NHL
experience, Roberts lost his cool during a November game and took a 4-minute
high-sticking penalty against Avery that led to a goal in a Rangers victory.

"A guy like that, they take it a little bit more of an insult after you
disrespect them and all they've done for the game and how great they are,"
Avery said then of Roberts.

Roberts called Avery "an idiot" after his antics with Brodeur, but took a
softer tone when told of the injury.

"There's hockey and then there is life and your health. You don't wish that on
anybody," Roberts said. "I don't know Sean personally away from the rink.
Obviously, we've had our comments throughout the media, but truthfully when it
comes to this kind of stuff you just hope that he makes a full recovery."