Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn. [url=https://www.shoesukonline.com/]Shoes UK Online Cheap[/url] .ca. Hi Ref! Been a long time Sens fan and stuck with them through the ups and downs. Iv

Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn. Shoes UK Online Cheap .ca. Hi Ref! Been a long time Sens fan and stuck with them through the ups and downs. Ive always liked the fact that theyve made no excuses for their wins and their losses but their game with the Habs has me a tad irate with the what appears to be inconsistent calls. For example, there were a couple goalie interference calls against the Sens, like it or not, they were called, yet there were at least two non-calls for Robin Lehner being bumped including the game-tying goal at the end of regulation. Im not even going to go on about the non-call on the dive that caused that power play. My question is this: In the replay of the game-winning OT goal, the play moved into Ottawas end, a shot was taken that was stopped by Lehner and the puck was in/on/around his pads. The overhead camera angle showed the puck on the ice, not covered for a few seconds and then it was jammed in. Unless the referee is 35 feet tall and looking straight down at that angle, there is no way he could have even seen the puck free as the goalie had his back to him and there was a scrum of players there. Yet there was no stoppage even with the puck out of his sight for over five seconds (according to the game clock) and he later told Spezza that he didnt blow the whistle because of the noise level in the building. I would like to know if theres any disciplinary action for a referee who blows a call like that and then makes a "its too noisy to hear the whistle" comment as an excuse? Roger Smallman,St. Catharines, ON --- Hello, I just wanted some clarification - I thought when the goalie has the puck covered, the ref has to blow the whistle. Its my understanding that if the goalie has the puck covered, then an opposing player cannot jam at the goalie to knock the puck loose! Is that true or not? Josh Knowles Roger and Josh, Thank you for your questions following a very emotionally charged come-from-behind overtime victory by the Montreal Canadiens over the visiting Ottawa Senators. I want to share a general philosophy and understanding as to when the referee should blow the whistle. There is a misconception by some fans that a puck must be frozen for three seconds before the referee should deem it unplayable and then blow his whistle. This stems from language in Rule 85.2 when a puck falls onto the back of the goal netting and the referee is specifically directed to allow three seconds for it to be played unless the goalkeeper uses his stick or glove to freeze the puck on the back of the net, in which case the whistle is immediate. This three second application is also generally applied to determine a "frozen" puck between opposing players along the boards; although we often see the refs encourage play to continue with a non-whistle and audible command to "play it". The philosophy employed to kill play in and around the goal crease is somewhat consistent with Rule 69 (Interference on the Goalkeeper.) This rule was formerly called "Protection of the Goalkeeper" for good reason by recognizing, in part, the vulnerability of a goalkeeper given his unique position and the obvious impairment to defend his goal that would result through player contact. As such, the referee must first determine that the goalkeeper has control and coverage of the puck prior to his intent to blow the play dead in order to avoid a quick whistle. Of equal importance, is for a ref to be aware that an attacking player(s) does not dislodge or expose a covered puck by contacting the goalkeeper with a stick or any part of the body! Rule 85.3 (puck out of sight) states that should a scramble take place or a player accidentally fall on the puck and the puck be out of sight of the Referee, he shall immediately blow his whistle to stop the play. Truth is, there are many times during a scramble that the referee loses sight of the puck but does not blow his whistle immediately while he moves in an attempt to visually locate the puck. Every referee has had the embarrassment of blowing his whistle too quickly, only to have the puck slip through the goalies equipment and into the net causing a legitimate goal to be disallowed. Previous embarrassments such as this are always in the back of the refs mind. To avoid the quick whistle, but also to be aware of the potential for players to dislodge a covered puck, the referee must attack the net quickly from the best angle and react quickly to potential contact of the goalkeeper. Lets apply the above philosophies to the reality of the eventual winning goal scored by Francis Bouillon. Max Pacioretty, who was being checked by Jared Cowen, threw the puck at the Ottawa net from the bottom middle point of the end zone face-off circle to the left of goalie Robin Lehner. The shot was gobbled up in the right pad of Lehner, protected and appeared to be covered by Lehners blocker. The referee began to drive toward the net from his initial position some 30 feet from the right post. The closest Montreal player to the net, David Desharnais, was at the bottom of the end zone face-off T some 20 feet away and positioned on the outside of Sens player Bobby Ryan. Cody Ceci approached the centre of the goal crease from 15 feet out. This distance of other players from the net creates time and space for the goalkeeper to control and cover the puck. With all these parts of the puzzle moving quickly toward Lehner, who remained in a stationary position tight to the post with his blocker and stick down in front of the right goal pad throughout, my radar as a ref would go on high alert! The very last thing I would want to have happen is for the goalkeeper to be contacted and the puck dislodged. From the sight line the referee had at the time (and the multiple camera angles shown), I find it hard to imagine the puck was visible to him or anyone else at this point. Desharnais stepped to the inside of Ryan and jammed at Lehner with his stick and body as his momentum took the Hab forward behind the net. Ceci then made contact with the right side of his goalkeeper causing Lehners blocker to elevate off the ice and rotate. The contact by both players altered the position of Lehner sufficiently to expose the puck in front of Lehners pad. At this point, the puck would be clearly visible to the referee from his position closer to the net and as detected on the overhead camera shot. Pacioretty then came in hard from the side and jammed the puck outside the crease for an easy layup for Bouillon. When players crash the crease and jam at the goalkeeper, bad things usually happen. Typically, the refs will exercise the philosophy I described above and blow the whistle in advance of any deliberate contact exerted by an attacking player. This play was allowed to continue too long without visible evidence of the puck being uncovered prior to the contact exerted by Desharnais and then Ceci. In my judgment Josh, the whistle should have blown prior to that contact. Roger, if Stephen Walkom, Sr. V.P. of Officiating assessed this play as I did, he will review and discuss the play with the referee and make suggestions as to how a similar situation should be ruled upon in the future. There is no disciplinary action in place for officials beyond the ongoing rating and ranking system that every official is subjected to for playoff assignments and ongoing employment. One call or one game does not greatly impact the overall season performance rating of any official. Great calls are made and some are unfortunately missed. Thats the human element of the job. Wholesale Shoes UK Free Shipping . LOUIS -- Alexander Steen scored a power-play goal with 59. Cheap Shoes UK 2020 .ca has you covered for whos in, whos out and what to expect from all 30 teams. https://www.shoesukonline.com/ . - Free agent defensive end Will Smith has signed with the New England Patriots. TORONTO -- The Toronto Marlies were supposed to clinch their third straight North Division title on Saturday. Instead, Tim Schaller completed his third-period natural hat trick at 19:02 and Phil Varone scored the winner 15 seconds later as the Rochester Americans erased a 3-0 deficit to top the Marlies 4-3 in American Hockey League action. Rochester scored four goals on 19 third period shots while holding Toronto to just nine shots on goal in the final 40 minutes. "The challenge that I have here tonight is the guys with letters on their sweater. Our captain (Trevor Smith) had the puck on his stick, didnt get it deep, game over," said Marlies coach Steve Spott. "Thats our expectation of (Korbinian) Holzer, Trevor Smith, Jerred Smithson -- they have to be better, they know that, I called them out after the game and Im calling them out now. "They have to be better." The win stretches the Americans win streak to three games and helps them keep pace with the Charlotte Checkers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Smith, who was on the ice for three Rochester (33-27-10) goals, failed to get the puck deep off a centre ice faceoff. The Americans capitalized with Varone beating Christopher Gibson with a wrist shot for his 16th of the season just 15 seconds after Schaller had tied it. "Its disappointing. Were trying to do the best we can out there and try and lead the way for the guys and were making mistakes, were taking penalties and it wasnt a good day for our group," said Smith. "We didnt get the puck deep, it took a couple bounces, they got 40-plus shots on net, one of them is going to take a lucky bounce, I think it hit a stick and Gibby didnt even have a chance on it Schaller got Rochester on the board at 4:03 of the third one timing a Brayden Irwin pass home for his fifth of the season. At 16:40 of the final frame, Schaller poked home a lose puck, on a power play, for his sixth of the season making it a one-goal game. Wholesale Shoes UK. Then, with their net empty for an extra attacker, Schaller completed the hat trick poking home a lose puck tying the game 3-3 with 58 seconds remaining. The goal was initially waved off as referee Jean-Philippe Sylvain believed the puck was head-butted in. However, upon review, Spott was told, "It went from the head, it touched Christopher Gibson and then went off one of their players stick. You have to trust the video, you have to trust the call." Irwin finished the night with four assists. Josh Leivo scored twice and Brad Ross had the other for the Marlies (41-22-6). Gibson made 39 saves in the loss. Andrey Makarov made 13 saves for his third career AHL win. Leivo gave Toronto a three-goal cushion with just 21 seconds remaining in the second period one-timing a Smith feed past Makarov for his 20th goal of the season. The Marlies scored twice, on their first two shots of the game, to open a 2-0 lead five minutes in. Ross opened the scoring backhanding a Sam Carrick feed blocker side past Makarov for his sixth of the season. It was Rosss first goal in 11 games and first in two months. Leivo made it 2-0 at 5:12, on a power play, beating Makarov with a shot from the face-off dot for his 19th goal of the season. Saturday was Leivos fourth multi-goal game of the season. "Good on him," said Spott. "We had a meeting with him this morning, he said hed rebound, he did. He played like we need him to play." Torontos Carter Ashton, who was playing in his first game since an emergency recall by the Maple Leafs on Thursday, had two assists. Notes: Frazer McLaren (hip flexor), Andrew MacWilliam (concussion) and Spencer Abbott (shoulder) all missed Saturdays game. Defenceman Zachary Yuen and forward Fabrice Herzog were healthy scratches. With goaltender Drew MacIntyre on emergency recall with the Maple Leafs, the Marlies recalled Christopher Gibson from the ECHL Friday. ' ' '