Isles' Wisniewski may be punished for obscene gesture

James Wisniewski may face discipline from the NHL for making an obscene gesture toward the Rangers' Sean Avery during yesterday's 6-4 Islanders win.

Wisniewski, a defenseman acquired from the Ducks this summer, made the gesture in the first period after he and Avery collided near the Islanders' net. Wisniewski was not penalized, but NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who was in attendance at Nassau Coliseum, said NHL vice president of hockey operations Colin Campbell would address the incident.

"You guys saw what he was doing, but I'm sure nothing will happen to him. Because nothing ever happens,'' Avery said after the game. "It's interesting that you'll get a warning for something like that. Can you imagine if I did that? They sent me to rehab the last time I did something like that."

Bettman suspended Avery, then with the Stars, for six games during the 2008-09 season for making a crude remark about then-Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf dating Avery's former girlfriend, actress Elisha Cuthbert.

The league suspended the Blackhawks' Nick Boynton for Thursday's season opener after he made a throat-slashing gesture during a preseason game.

Wisniewski said he didn't remember what he did on the ice.

"What happens on the ice, stays on the ice," said Wisniewski, whom the NHL suspended twice last season for intent-to-injure hits, with the second offense drawing an eight-game ban. "What he said to me, what I said, who cares? He's playing hard, I'm playing hard. Leave it on the ice."

Rangers coach John Tortorella said he heard about the gesture between the first and second periods, but didn't say much beyond that. Islanders coach Scott Gordon said: "I can tell you I will never talk about Sean Avery. He's on the other team. I'll worry about my team."