NHL player Sean Avery arrested, accused of pushing officer

New York Rangers forward Sean Avery was arrested on Friday over accusations he shoved a police officer who tried to break up a party at a Hollywood Hills home, police said.

The Canadian-born Avery made headlines this year when he became an outspoken supporter of a New York gay marriage bill, becoming one of only a handful of professional sports figures to support the proposal that has since become law.

Police visited the Hollywood Hills house early on Friday after a neighbor complained about noise, said Los Angeles police Lieutenant Jorge Pardo of the Hollywood Station.

Avery, 31, answered the front door, shoved an officer and slammed the door, Pardo said.

The officer was not injured and when officers knocked again, Avery opened the door and cooperated, police said.

Following his arrest in Los Angeles on Friday, Avery was jailed on suspicion of misdemeanor battery on a peace officer, police said. He was released within hours on $20,000 bail, and a court appearance was set for September 2, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.

The New York Rangers are owned by the Madison Square Garden Co. "We will discuss the matter with Sean and will have no further comment at this time," Kaley Hoffman, a spokeswoman for the company, said.

Avery formerly played for the Detroit Red Wings, the Los Angeles Kings and the Dallas Stars.