which I do already. "I think its just about time

Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn. Solomon Hill Pelicans Jersey .ca. Kerry, In the Pittsburgh/New York Islanders game last night, a goal was reviewed in the third period. The referee made no indication of a goal, he just blew the play dead. We assumed that it was no goal because he had intent to blow the whistle, but he didnt signal no goal either. He made no call, just blew the play dead, after the puck crossed the line. There was a gathering of officials, and the war room initiated a review, and called it a goal. The explanation was odd. It said the puck crossed the line legally, but it wasnt a reviewable play. But they did review it, and make a call where the referee didnt. I am confused. Can you clarify this? John Szpala John, You werent the only one that appeared to be confused on the play. The rookie referee that you referred to is gaining experience and learning his trade primarily in the AHL this season. He is also earning his stripes in every NHL game that he is assigned to work. While the AHL is a tremendous training ground for players and officials alike, things happen much more quickly at the NHL level. The speed and skill demonstrated in the best league in the world requires an adjustment and a quick learning curve to take place. Beyond just being a question and answer forum, I am aware that this Cmon Ref column is utilized from time to time as a teaching tool for fans, officials and even players. I sincerely hope our young referee friend learns from his experience in last nights game and in the constructive advice that I am about to offer beyond just answering your question, John. This was clearly a "good goal" that was correctly determined through a lengthy conference with all four officials on the ice. The other three officials on the crew assisted the young referee and provided their perspective when they saw that he was uncertain what had taken place. The expected protocol was handled perfectly in this situation both on the ice and by the Situation Room personnel, who initiated a call following the officials decision to confirm that the puck crossed the line in a legal manner. (No distinct kick, glove, etc. occurred during the crease crash of players from both teams.) The official response from the Situation Room posting reads: At 10:55 of the third period in the Penguins/Islanders game, the Toronto Situation Room initiated a video review because the puck crossed the Penguins goal line. The officials on the ice discussed the play and determined that the puck had crossed the Penguins goal line in a legal fashion. This is not a reviewable play. Good Goal New York Islanders. Now the lesson for the young man in stripes! On a red line dump-in by Matt Donovan of the Islanders, the puck travelled past our young referee as he backed into the zone and came to a resting spot against the end boards to the left of Pens goalie Jeff Zatkoff. Brooks Orpik was the first Penguin on the puck and as he attempted to make a play, a quick forecheck and active stick by John Taveres forced the puck in front of the net. Kyle Okposo quickly threw the puck at the Penguins net, catching Zatkoff by surprise. The puck rested between the goalies pads and unfrozen as players quickly attacked the goal crease. Pittsburgh defenceman Paul Martin attempted to protect the puck and freeze it under Zatkoffs pads but instead, his stick caused the puck to accelerate and cross the goal line. The puck was clearly in the net before Thomas Vanek crashed the net and pushed Zatkoffs pads into the net. As quickly as these series of events took place, our young ref delayed his movement toward the goal and remained stationary at the sidewall. As the action in the crease intensified, he began drifting slowly toward the goal and was forced to avoid players that stood in his path. By the time the referee arrived in a position behind the net, the puck was visible to him inside of the goal frame but he was uncertain how it had arrived there. His hands in the air were not to waive off a goal but only to signal play stopped. His body language signaled uncertainty and a cry for help. Fortunately, the cavalry arrived in the form of two linesmen that charged to the net to offer their assistance. His referee partner needed to be just as quick on the scene to lend assistance instead of waiting at the refs crease to hold a conference. This is what you need to do the next time a play like this happens, kid. When players attack the net or a goal-mouth scramble results, you should "sprint" toward the net like a starving dog chasing a soup bone to find that puck! I found the best attack angle is just ahead of the goal line so you end up looking into the net and not through the back of players. Whenever you position yourself in the end zone, have your legs in a flexed (knees bent) and ready position to move quickly. Do not stand "stiff-legged" because your reaction time is greatly inhibited. Face the puck squarely, adjust and angle your skates in the direction of the puck as it continually moves about the end zone. In doing so, you are set up to either attack or retreat from the puck location! Finally, dont beat yourself up over this. You are the nameless rookie referee in this column that worked the New York Islander-Pittsburgh Penguins game last night on Long Island. I know how exciting it must be for you to step on the ice with Crosby, Tavares and all those great players. Enjoy each moment of it with every opportunity you are given. See the play quickly and remain in the moment, even if you have to engage in a Gord Miller—"Doc" Emrick style play-by-play in your head as I did on many occasions, to sustain the quick visual pace required at the NHL level. Embrace each experience as part of your learning curve and file it in your memory banks so that everything you do correctly becomes part of your "muscle memory." Above all, have fun doing one of the greatest jobs in the world! Work hard every game to find a better way. Best of luck and have a great career, kid! Jrue Holiday Pelicans Jersey . Hamelin overcame a weak start to win bronze in the 500-metre race behind winner Wu Dajing of China and American J.R. Celski on Saturday at the world short track speed skating championship. Jordan Crawford Jersey . LA (SportsNetwork. http://www.shoppelicansonline.com/Authentic-Anthony-Davis-Pelicans-Jersey/ . The two teams will play through the completion of the game starting at 5pm ct on Wednesday. The regularly scheduled Wednesday night matchup will follow that and will now be seven innings.TORONTO -- Milos Raonic entered uncharted territory for a Canadian mens tennis player this year, reaching the top 10 in the world singles rankings and leading the Davis Cup team to unprecedented heights. He also won two tournaments in 2013 and thrilled Canadian fans by reaching the final of the Rogers Cup last summer. He capped his impressive year Thursday by winning the Lionel Conacher Award as the 2013 Canadian Press male athlete of the year. Raonic made some big strides this year despite going through some early-season struggles and a coaching change. "The fact that I was performing under those circumstances when things werent the best leading into those events, its really great for me," he said. "Its what Im most proud of." The Conacher award is named after the multi-sport athlete who was chosen Canadas athlete of the first half-century. The winner of the Bobbie Rosenfeld Award as Canadas female athlete of the year will be announced Friday and the team of the year will be named Saturday. Raonic finished with 45 per cent of the vote in balloting of sports editors and broadcasters across the country. Calgary Stampeders running back Jon Cornish was well back at 22 per cent, followed by golfer Graham DeLaet (13 per cent) and figure skater Patrick Chan (eight per cent). "Raonic had the most successful year in the history of Canadian tennis and his outstanding performance in the Davis Cup played a leading role in the countrys semifinal appearance," said Yahoo Canadas Steve McAllister. "Raonics climb up the ATP Tour rankings happens in an era that features more depth than ever before." Raonic finished second in last years voting behind cyclist Ryder Hesjedal. Hes the first mens tennis player to win the award, which dates back to 1932. "To have them vote (for) me and tell my story back home and being so positive about it, its really great to see," Raonic said when reached after a training session in Monte Carlo. "To (be) recognized through an award like this means a lot to me." A number of womens tennis players have won the Rosenfeld Award over the years. Aleksandra Wozniak was the last to do so, taking the honour in 2009. Raonic won indoor hardcourt tournaments in Bangkok and San Jose and finished with a 45-21 singles record this season, picking up more than US$1.72 million in prize money along the way. Known for his booming serve, the six-foot-five Raonic showed improvement in other facets of his game in 2013. His ground strokes, backhand and net play were stronger and that helped him to some big victories. Raonic was ranked 15th at the start of the year and hovered in the teens for most of the season. He rose to a career-high No. 10 in early August before falling to No. 11, where he has remained since. He won the San Jose title for the third straight year last February after beating Tommy Haas in the final. Raonic also helped the Davis Cup team to wins over Spain and Italy as he endured a stretch of middling results on tour. The Canadians power game has always been most effective on hardcourts but Raonic enjoyed some success on clay this season as well, reaching the semifinals at Barcelona in April before falling to Rafael Nadal. However, he struggled on the grass courts and made a second-round exit at Wimbledon. Raonic managed an injury-free season for the first time since joining the tour and was able to fight through that early-season inconsistency. "I learned for the first time in the first three years of my career how to deal with the tough moments," he said. "Not any moments disrupted by injury or anything, just like a little bit of a slump, lets say. It gave me a lot of experience and its helped me grow a lot. "Its great from the educational side, but then also the way I turned around the ssecond half of the year and really gave myself an opportunity to achieve my goal. Anthony Davis Pelicans Jersey. quot; Raonic made a coaching change in the spring with Ivan Ljubicic replacing Galo Blanco, who spent more than two years in the position. An adjustment phase followed before Raonic really got the countrys attention with an impressive performance at the Rogers Cup. With Ljubicic pushing him to play a more aggressive, higher-risk game, Raonic responded with wins over Juan Martin del Potro and Davis Cup teammate Vasek Pospisil before losing to Nadal in the final. It was a rare run of homegrown success at the countrys biggest tennis event as Raonic became the first Canadian to reach the championship match in more than 50 years. He lists qualifying for the final in Montreal -- his first Masters 1000 final appearance -- and reaching the Davis Cup semifinal as his standout moments. "The fact that I was able to execute and bring my level up in those moments and to do well, its important to me," Raonic said. The Canadian made it to the fourth round of the U.S. Open in September and pushed Richard Gasquet the distance before falling in a four-hour 40-minute marathon. A trip to Serbia soon followed as Canada continued its historic run in the Davis Cup World Group with its first-ever semifinal appearance. Raonic, who was 5-1 at the international team event in 2013, got by Janko Tipsarevic before losing to top-ranked Novak Djokovic, and the host side later won the deciding match. "Its really been great what we put together this year," Raonic said. "Doing it in tight moments, doing it at home in Canada and playing well. So really its special for us to share this moment as a team considering how individual of a sport we are. "To see four, five, six Canadians doing well, its a lot more motivating for a country than just to see one." After the Serbia loss, Raonic came out gunning at his next tour event in Bangkok. He avenged the Gasquet loss and then beat Tomas Berdych for his second tournament win of the year. Raonic is still trying to break through against the sports elite. He has won two of three career meetings against Andy Murray but is a combined 0-13 against Nadal, Djokovic, David Ferrer and Roger Federer. However, Raonic -- who turns 23 on Friday -- has age on his side. Hes the first player born in the 1990s and the first Canadian to crack the top 10 in the mens singles world rankings. "Hes one of the most focused guys on tour," said Davis Cup teammate Daniel Nestor. "Someone who is (turning) 23, I think his maturity is far beyond his years. "Hes really impressive with his positive attitude and real focus and drive to be a champion." Raonic, from Thornhill, Ont., has spent the last few weeks training for warmup events ahead of the Australian Open next month. He also has his eye on Canadas Davis Cup tie against Japan in late January. "I think its just about development," he said of the upcoming season. "Getting better day in and day out and picking up experience through matches, making sure that Im making the progress and that Im pushing myself every day, which I do already. "I think its just about time and Ive got to keep working away." Raonic wants to crack the top six in the world rankings next year, go deeper in the Grand Slam events and qualify for the eight-man ATP World Tour Finals. "Even as a junior, he was just aiming high," said Davis Cup coach Martin Laurendeau. "He wanted to be a top-10 player and even beyond that and he just believed it. It was just a matter of giving him the time and opportunities to be able to do that. "His dream is coming true. I know that hes not happy or satisfied with No. 10 or No. 11 -- he wants to go higher and I think he will." ' ' '