Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Hey Kerry,Absolutely love your column and love your answers. My question is in the Tuesday night game of Red Wings v. Blue Jackets, Cam Atkinson clearly scored Columbus third goal after the net was dislodged. Im confused how the referees were able to decide that the goal was scored before the net came off when it seemed to clearly come off before the goal crossed the line. Im just wondering how the refs came to their conclusion and if it was correct.Thanks Kerry,Jacob Messing Hi Ref,How can a player score when the net is clearly off the mooring> When the net is off the moorings you cant allow a goal. Maybe get a penalty for moving the net, but no goal. Obviously that was the wrong call, and could mean a missed playoff. Are Referees demoted from the playoffs for these terrible calls? Thanks for your answer.Jim Carmody Jacob and Jim:Thank you for your questions on this unique situation that caused many fans to scratch their heads in amazement as to how a goal can be scored with the net clearly off the moorings. I have two personal experiences to share with you that resulted in the formulation and eventual amendment of rule 63.6 which I hope will clear up any confusion. It was under this specific rule that Referee Chris Rooney correctly awarded a goal to Cam Atkinson of the Columbus Blue Jackets after Atkinsons body contacted the post and knocked off its moorings. I provide you with the history of the rule and the correct application. Rule 63.6—In the event that the goal post is displaced, either deliberately or accidentally, by a defending player, prior to the puck crossing the goal line between the normal position of the goalposts, the Referee may award a goal. In order to award a goal in this situation, the goal post must have been displaced by the actions of a defending player, the puck must have been shot (or the player must be in the act of shooting) at the goal prior to the goal post being displaced, and it must be determined that the puck would have entered the net between the normal position of the goal posts. Now for your first history lesson as to how this rule came about. In the mid 1980s I was assigned to work a game in the St. Louis Arena between the Blues and the Edmonton Oilers. On a particular shift the Oiler stars were sustaining incredible pressure in the Blues end zone. It looked like a shooting gallery against Blues goalkeeper Mike Liut as he slid from side to side making one incredible save after another. That is until one stacked-pad-slide by Liut took the tender well outside of his goal crease. The rebound came right onto the stick of Glenn Anderson standing all alone in the middle slot. As Anderson was about to trigger a shot into the unguarded cage for a sure goal, Blues defenceman Tim Bothwell lifted the net completely off its moorings and began to skate it toward the corner of the rink! Anderson looked puzzled and continued to reposition his feet toward the moving target. I blew the whistle and assessed a delay of game penalty to Bothwell. The Blues killed the penalty and a "sure goal" by Anderson had been averted. I made a rule proposal that was adopted to allow the ref to award a goal if the net was deliberately displaced by a defending player and the attacker shot the puck (or in the act of shooting) and the puck passed through the normal position of the net. The initial rule only applied when the net was "deliberately" displaced. Fast-forward to the modern day NHL and a game I worked in Vancouver between the Canucks and the Sabres. Buffalo created a two-on-one attack with the second Canuck defenceman giving chase. As the attackers approached the net the trailing D made a desperation diving poke-check attempt. The defending players out of control slide knocked the net off its moorings just prior to the shot entering the net. The sure goal had to be disallowed and no penalty could be assessed since the action of the defending player that knocked the net off the mooring was accidental. Due to the fact that a sure goal had been denied through the "actions" of a defending player in both situations (deliberate in St. Louis (80s) and accidental in Vancouver (2000s) the language of the rule was amended to include "accidentally" whenever the specific criteria of rule 63.6 was satisfied. In Tuesdays game Matt Calvert and Cam Atkinson took flight on a two-on-one break with Niklas Kronwall defending and his defence partner, Brendan Smith giving chase from behind. Jimmy Howard made a left pad save on Calverts shot but could not control or freeze the rebound. Atkinson attacked the net from the opposite side and initiated a hard stop at the top-inside of the crease with an opportunity to put the loose puck into the net for a sure goal. As Atkinson was positioning his stick to play the puck (act of shooting) Smith made physical contact with his stick and hip on Atkinson that moved the Blue Jackets player into the goal post and knocked the net off of the moorings. Some will say that the contact exerted by Smith was minimal and insufficient to knock the net off the moorings without some responsibility placed on Atkinson. The replay shows that Atkinsons momentum and forward progress was altered significantly and he accelerated from his initial stop inside the top of the crease after the contact by Smith was initiated and completed. It is also evident that Atkinson attempted to push back and stop following the contact by Smith with a second, separate spray of snow from his skate blade. Referee Chris Rooney made an excellent, quick decision when he correctly applied rule 63.6 to award the goal to Atkinson following the actions of Smith that "accidentally" caused the goal post to be displaced prior to the puck crossing the goal line. Watching this play I saw history repeated. Hassan Whiteside Jersey . The ninth-seeded Safarova doused Swede Johanna Larsson 6-2, 6-3 on the green clay at Family Circle Tennis Center. The Czech player was a finalist here two years ago and captured back-to-back doubles titles in 2012 and last year. Wayne Ellington Jersey . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. http://www.authenticbasketballshopheat.info/. Tokarski, a somewhat controversial choice -- with his 10 games of NHL experience and all -- to replace an injured Carey Price in Game Two had a night to remember, turning back a Rangers team that was dominating play from the get-go, outshooting the Canadiens 14-4 in the first period and 37-25 overall. Goran Dragic Jersey . The goals took Liverpools tally in the Premier League this season to 70, overtaking Manchester City as the top scorers, and left the fourth-place team just four points behind league leader Chelsea. Udonis Haslem Jersey . The Canadian defensive tackle suffered the injury on Monday and had tests done on Tuesday. He was a potential starter on the defensive line but head coach Mike OShea said he wasnt even thinking about the ratio when he got the news.WASHINGTON -- After his last start, Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg said his mechanics werent right. Tuesday night he was finely tuned. Strasburg bounced back from his worst outing of the season with 7 2-3 strong innings, and Jayson Werth had two doubles and three RBIs in the Nationals 7-1 victory over the Colorado Rockies. "I just tried to execute pitches better. I wasnt trying to reinvent the wheel," he said. "I think I wanted to go out there and just trust myself, and just have a little bit finer focus. . I feel like I was able to keep the ball down a little bit." Anthony Rendon added a two-run double for Washington, which has won four straight. Strasburg (7-6) tied his career high by allowing seven earned runs in 4 2-3 innings in his last start -- a loss in Milwaukee -- and was 0-2 with a 7.27 ERA over his last three. Tuesday night he struck out eight and walked one while giving up one run. The Rockies didnt get a runner past second until DJ LeMahieus homer in the eighth. "I think strike one is probably the biggest difference," manager Matt Williams said. "He got ahead of a lot of hitters tonight. His curveball was effective, his changeup was effective. Went deep in the game. He threw a lot of pitches, but he was in command." Strasburg was lifted after walking Corey Dickerson with his 111th pitch. Tuesday night also was a bounce back game for Werth, who was 7 for 52 in his last 13 coming in. He doubled home two runs in the first, another in the fourth and walked twice. "(I) was here late last night watching video with Rick Schu, our hitting coach," Werth said. "Today, had a pretty good mindset going into the game and we made a minor adjustment, just kind of shorten (my swing) up a little bit." Washington has scored seven runs in three straight games, albeit the last two against the pitching staff with baseballs worst ERA. Bryce Harper went 1 for 5 in his second game back from the disabled list, and every Washington starter hit safely except Ian Desmond. "Theres not an easy out one thru eight," Strasburg said. "Its our job as pitchers to go out tthere and keep it close and let our (hitters) go out there and win the game.dddddddddddd" Christian Friedrich (0-3) allowed five runs in 3 1-3 innings for Colorado, which has lost 13 of 15. "Every day you cant worry about what happened yesterday," Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau said. "Youre not going to change it. If you start thinking that way, thats when you get in trouble. When you can put today behind us and come back and try and win a game tomorrow and start over, thats what good teams are able to do." Friedrich was making his third start since being called up June 21 and struggled once again, allowing five hits while walking four and striking out four. Overall, hes given up 14 earned runs and 21 hits in 13 1-3 innings. He struggled with his control early and the Rockies were quickly behind. Denard Span and Rendon walked to open the first, and Werth hit a smash past third baseman Ryan Wheeler, scoring both runners. Werth went to third on an infield single by Adam LaRoche and scored on Ryan Zimmermans sacrifice fly to make it 3-0. "Tough to play from behind against Strasburg. We got down early, made it tough," Rockies manager Walt Weiss said. Strasburg helped Washington break it open when he doubled past a diving Brandon Barnes in right with one out in the fourth. Span singled Strasburg to third and moved to second on a wild pitch. Rendon then greeted reliever Chad Bettis with a double to left, increasing the lead to 5-0. Werth singled to score Rendon and later came home on a wild pitch. NOTES: In middle of 20 straight days with a game, Weiss rested SS Troy Tulowitzki and OF Charlie Blackmon. Blackmon grounded out as a pinch hitter in the eighth. ... Rockies LH Brett Anderson (broken finger), on the DL since April 13, is scheduled to make his first rehab start Wednesday for Triple-A Colorado Springs. ... The Nationals, after allowing 19 unearned runs in March/April and 13 in May, set a new club record by allowing just two in June. ... Colorados LH Tyler Matzek (1-2, 4.24) opposes RH Doug Fister (6-2, 2.83) in Wednesdays series finale. cheap falcons jerseys cheap ravens jerseys cheap bills jerseys cheap bears jerseys cheap bengals jerseys cheap cowboys jerseys cheap lions jerseys cheap texans jerseys cheap colts jerseys cheap jaguars jerseys cheap chiefs jerseys cheap rams jerseys cheap dolphins jerseys cheap vikings jerseys cheap saints jerseys cheap giants jerseys cheap jets jerseys cheap eagles jerseys cheap steelers jerseys cheap 49ers jerseys ' ' '