Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry Fraser wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn. Black Pat McAfee Limited Jersey Mens .ca! Hey Kerry, I really enjoy following your columns and learning more about rule clarifications. I have a question about Thursday nights game between the St. Louis Blues and the Phoenix Coyotes. In the third period with around a minute left the Blues were leading by one when Alex Pietrangelo appeared to be run from behind by a Coyotes player during a play in the corner. The ensuing play ultimately would lead to the game being tied as the puck popped free in the slot and Phoenix scored. Whats your take on the hit and should there have been a call made on the play? Thanks Kerry, all the best. Joseph TagleWest Chester, Pennsylvania ----- Love the column sir. Question for you...how in the world do you justify the no calls on Ekmam-Larsson and Hanzal along with the borderline call on Backes? Do refs get caught up in the narrative or the excitement? How does a tight game get called that inconsistently within the span of minutes? Thanks,Rich MorrisonRapid City, SD ----- Kerry, Why does it seem that the NHL referees will almost go out of their way to call a penalty against the team winning a close one goal game near the end of the game? Or avoid calling a blatant penalty near the end of a tied game? It seems to be common place in all sports. For example, the Blues-Coyotes game. Boarding is not called earlier in the game when the Blues Sobotka is hit head first into the boards. In the last few minutes of the game with the Blues up 1-0, David Backes gets called for boarding to give Phoenix a power play. No roughing calls made on the two Phoenix players for retaliating against Backes. The Coyotes score on the power play after a clear boarding by Phoenix on Alex Pietrangelo is let go and the Blues (including Elliott) almost stop playing, expecting a penalty call. The refs inconsistency there definitely impacted the outcome of the game. Is this taught, human nature or what? Jacob To put things into perspective on the non-call you ask about Joseph, we need to back up with 2:16 remaining in regulation time when David Backes of the Blues was assessed a boarding penalty for hitting Oliver Ekman-Larsson into the end boards. (Backes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcmzGOllVVI) The real-time optics of this play gave every indication to the Referee (and most everyone else watching) that David Backes was guilty of boarding Ekman-Larsson. I have no problem with the call on the ice since it took a replay to demonstrate that Ekman-Larson was contacted on his shoulder and popped out of the hit sideways and not directly into the boards from behind. The "big-bang theory" resulted when both David Perron attacked from close range in front of the net while Backes had a longer straight run from the right slot. The two Blues players simultaneously converged on Ekman-Larsson. It was Perrons inside lane body position that prevented Backes from making full contact with the Coyotes young star defenceman and provided a somewhat obstructed view for the Referee who raised his arm immediately. A pack of Coyotes then piled on Backes and Derek Morris was very fortunate he did not receive a roughing penalty for two short jabs with his gloves off that he delivered to David Backes in the scrum. None the less a boarding penalty was assessed to Backes from the Referees real-time look on the opposite side of the net along the goal line. Blues up 1-0 and on the penalty kill. Now to your question when Martin Hanzal hit Alex Pietrangelo from behind into the boards with just over 1:07 remaining. The Coyotes utilized a two man advantage with goalie Chad Johnson on the bench for an extra attacker and Backes in the penalty box. The Referee had good position and an open view of the hit from behind by Hanzal on Peitrangelo. For some reason this Referee deemed it not to be a penalty. I disagree with this judgment. Alex Pietrangelo was off the end boards and square to them with puck possession. He did not significantly adjust his body position prior to the hit similarly to the way that Vladimir Sobotka turned at the last second prior to being hit into the boards by Kyle Chipchurla earlier in the game. As a result of Sobotkas last second turn toward the boards no penalty was warranted to Chipchurla as stated in rule 41.1. (Sobotka: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB7lk0490yQ) Martin Hanzal made solid contact directly from behind which caused Alex Pietrangelo to be thrown head first into the boards. This was a boarding infraction that should have been called. As both Peitrangelo fell forward into the end boards with Martin Hanzal on top the the Blues defenceman, Hanzal bunted the puck with the back of his glove (hand pass) to Oliver Ekman-Larsson as both players earned an assist on the tying goal by Radim Vrbata. (The slashes that Pietrangelo administered to Hanzal following the hit would also be deemed infractions under normal circumstance.) Following the game, Blues coach Ken Hitch**** crossed the ice to lodge a protest with the Referees instead of making his way to the Blues dressing room through the runway directly behind his players bench. Coach Hitch**** was awarded a game misconduct in the penalty summary which would result in a written report by the Officials following the game. Batten down the hatches fans - playoff hockey has already begun... Black Hakeem Nicks Elite Jersey Mens . Gooden is expected to sign the deal and join the team in time for Thursdays game against the Toronto Raptors. Lights Out Black Reggie Wayne Limited Jersey . Fortunately for the Ragin Cajuns, they had Corey Trim to make a game-changing play on defence. Trim returned an interception 82 yards for a touchdown, Hunter Stover hit a go-ahead 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, and Louisiana-Lafayette held off Tulane 24-21 on Saturday night for its third straight New Orleans Bowl victory.BARCELONA, Spain - Osasuna and Valladolid were relegated on the final day of the Spanish league season on Sunday and will join the already doomed Real Betis in the second division next season. Osasunas 2-1 win at home over Betis was overshadowed by a railing collapse that left dozens of fans injured, and counted for little when Granada won 1-0 at Valladolid, Getafe beat Rayo Vallecano 2-1 and Almeria drew 0-0 with visiting Athletic Bilbao. Play was delayed for more than half an hour at Osasunas Sadar Stadium when a railing collapsed following Oriol Rieras 12th-minute goal, sending fans tumbling forward. The club said that a total of 68 people were hurt and that one man suffered a broken leg. The other three matches with relegation implications were then delayed an extra 35 minutes during halftime to synchronize their estimated finishing times. Before the games to determine relegation were over, the party in the Spanish capital had already begun with Atletico Madrid celebrating its league title with thousands of fans. Osasuna hasnt played in the second division since 2000. Valladolid has spent the last two seasons in the top flight. "In football, when you think you have wrapped it up, you are put in your place," Riera said. "We reacted, but it was too late. We ask our fans for forgiveness and tell them we will do our best to come back up." Osasuna and Valladolid entered the final round in the drop zone, both needing to win their matches and hope the other three teams in danger slipped up. Osasuna did its part by beating Betis from Rieras opener and Carlos Acunas goal in the 14th right after play was restarted. Betis Francisco Chica pulled one back with a long strike in the 70th. But Valladolid self-destructed in a direct matchup with Granada, one of the trio of teams along with Getafe and Almeria still in danger. Valladolid disappointed its fans at Jose Zorilla Stadium with a paltry performance that reached its low point when defender Stefan Mitrovic scored an own goal in the 44th minutte by knocking in Francisco "Piti" Medinas cross. Royal Blue Johnny Unitas Limited Womens Jersey. "We shouldnt have arrived to this week in this situation," Granada coach Lucas Alcaraz said. "We were facing a do-or-die match and my boys were able to handle it." Despite assuring their teams stayed up for another year, both Alcaraz and Rayo coach Paco Jemez said that they would most likely not be continuing with their teams next season. Getafe won at crosstown rival Rayo thanks to Ciprian Maricas brace. The Romanian striker scored from long range in the 43rd and then added a second from the penalty spot in stoppage time after Roberto Trashorras had levelled in the 67th. Almeria needed goalkeeper Esteban Suarez to save Guillermo Fernandezs point-blank try in injury time to ensure a point against Bilbao. Earlier, Europa League champion Sevilla routed Elche 3-1 at home to round off an excellent campaign that saw the team finish fifth. Midfielder Vicente Iborra scored twice in the 16th and 72nd with Jairo Samperio netting in the 61st for Sevilla. Yiadom Boayke scored Elches consolation goal moments before the final whistle. Giovani Dos Santos scored one goal and set up another to help Villarreal win 2-1 at Real Sociedad, overtaking its rival to finish the season in sixth place. Dos Santos raced into the box before cutting back to put the ball on his left foot and curl in the 26th-minute opener. The Mexico forward set up Ikechukwu Uche on the break in the 69th before Carlos Vela pulled one back in stoppage time. Villarreal, which spent last season in the second division, rose above seventh-place Sociedad on head-to-head goal difference. Both teams had already clinched Europa League berths. Atletico won the league title for the first time in 18 years on Saturday after it drew 1-1 at Barcelona. Barcelona needed to win to defend its title but finished second, level on points with Real Madrid. Bilbao had already sealed its fourth-place finish, completing the top four teams heading to the Champions League. cheap jerseys ' ' '
