HOCKEY LAST NIGHT: GOING FROM THE BIG APPLE TO HOLLYWOOD IS SO CLICHE

The New York Rangers are back to what they do best -- being the team that exists to provoke a knee-jerk reaction from the armchair GMs.

The Rangers traded with the L.A. Kings yesterday to get possibly only three months of bad boy Sean Avery, a free agent to be. In exchange for Avery bringing his (clown) act to Broadway, the Rangers parted with the rights to Canadian World Junior team member Marc-Andre Cliche and Jan Marek, a 27-year-old putting up big numbers in the Russian Superleague.

Playing in the World Juniors is no guarantee of a long NHL career, but suppose Cliche starts contributing for the Kings come 2008-09 and Marek become one of the late 20-somethings who comes over and fits right into a NHL lineup. How much would the Rangers be reminded of this deal, especially if Avery signs elsewhere as a free agent (please, don't let it be Toronto) this summer?

Kings deal Avery to Rangers (TSN.ca)

Red Wings 4 Rangers 3: One of the Leafs' rivals in the playoff race dropped a game on a night when Dominik Hasek looked every bit of his 42 years, and that same team traded for Sean Avery? Say it ain't so.

Headlines: George Gillett and Tom Hicks are set to become owners of Liverpool; The East is least, says Tyler Dellow; rogue agent David Frost back in court in Napanee today; original St. Louis Blues owner dies at 88; it's a Boston University-Boston College final at the Beanpot;

Today's better games: Sabres-Thrashers, 7; 'Canes-Habs, 7:30; Predators-Penguins, 7:30; Canucks-Oilers, 9; Ducks-Sharks, 10:30.

HOMETOWN BREAKDOWN

Just another day in whole durned human comedy that is the Kingston Frontenacs: On the same day the team applied to host the 2008 Memorial Cup, the OHL handed down suspensions for that gong show in Belleville. Bobby Bolt, the Anaheim draft choice and defenceman Justin Wallingford can return on Sunday at home vs the Barrie Colts. Defenceman Peter Stevens is out till Feb. 17, and fourth-line forward Kyle Bochek can't return until the 22nd. Coach Bruce Cassidy got three games.

Naturally, the terminal do-gooders who lined up against building the new arena (they had their points, but it would be nice to see something get done in Kingston between now and the year 2050) are gleelful over this.

That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.