net. Then Oleksy flung the puck toward the crease and watched i

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! Last night I was focused on the Flyers come-from-behind win over the Red Wings on NBCSN but also kept ‘half an eye on the Montreal Canadiens frantic 4-3 shootout win over the New Jersey Devils via NHL Game Center Live on my computer screen. We have a number of questions involving two separate plays from the Canadiens-Devils game and both plays highlight the full concentration and split-second decisions required of a referee as he attempts to make the correct ruling. Obtaining the best sightline in advance is critical to correctly process information to make the right call. The first play in question was when Montreals Max Pacioretty was on a breakaway and had the shaft of his stick break as trailing defender Jon Merrill attempted a wild desperation stick swing at the attacker (Incident can be seen at 1:50 of attached highlights). I ran back in front of the television from my kitchen during an NBC intermission when I heard initial commentary that a stick slash had broken Paciorettys stick on a breakaway. I rounded the corner just in time to catch a glimpse of a replay showing the wild swing by Merrill coincide with the snap of Paciorettys stick shaft. No call resulted on the play and the initial commentary suggested a call was missed. I thought “oh no”, another missed stick slash on breakaway similar to one I viewed last week. Unaware of the time in the game this play had occurred I immediately sent out an S.O.S. via twitter; “Anybody see the broken-stick slash on a breakaway in NJ. Another non-penalty shot call. Guess they dont make sticks like they used to?” In the rush for social media assistance my misplaced question mark (?) logically appeared to some as though I was stating a call had been missed as opposed to seeking guidance. Once I was able to finally view the play it was obvious that Jon Merrills stick clearly missed making contact with both Max Pacioretty and his stick shaft. When Max pressured down on the shaft his stick simply broke. Both referee Rob Martell, who had set up in perfect position to judge the play on the ice, and Ray Ferraro on the TSN broadcast from between the benches made the right call. Both men had the perfect sightline. The other play in question involved a pretty obvious trip/slew-foot by P.K. Subban that took down Patrik Elias just prior to David Desharnais tipping in Brian Giontas shot for the tying goal with just 36.6 seconds remaining (Incident can be seen at 1:33 of attached highlights). What wasnt so obvious on the play was that Elias set an illegal pick in an attempt to lockup up Subban and prevent his forecheck pinch with the Montreal net empty. With 44 seconds remaining Peter Budaj bolted to the bench for an extra attacker. In anticipation of this the trailing referee crossed the ice from his position near the Montreal players bench to appropriately observe the legal five-foot substitution required to replace Budaj. That was all well and good, save the fact that both referees were now on the same side of the ice; opposite to where Elias and Subban contacted one another resulting in two separate infractions. Had the trailing referee been afforded the opportunity to observe this play from his normal position (near blue line on players bench side) I am confident an arm would have been raised for a delayed penalty call once Patrik Elias leaned into Subban and then placed his stick across the midsection of the Habs star defenceman. Interference would have been the delayed call. Play would then quickly have been stopped once Subban, having been blocked by the illegal pick, extended his right skate behind the left leg of Elias and tripped the Devil player to the ice with a sneaky but obvious slew-foot. Coincidental minor penalties would have been assessed and Giontas shot would not have eventually found the back of the net on the Desharnais redirection. Gaining the best sightline is crucial in being able to accurately process information on every play. Sometimes that just isnt possible. As a result of the shootout win Subban and the Montreal Canadiens have to be very pleased this was just one of those times. Custom Nike Minnesota Twins Jerseys .C. United on Wednesday night. Forward Bright Dike scored the games only goal in the 85th minute on a foggy night in Bradenton, Fla. Custom Nike New York Yankees Jerseys . - The Oakland Athletics have finalized an agreement on a 10-year extension to play at the Coliseum through the 2024 season. https://www.customnikebaseballjerseys.com/ . - Houston defensive end J. Custom Nike Tampa Bay Rays Jerseys .com) - The Tennessee Titans agreed to terms with running back Jackie Battle on a one-year contract Friday. Custom Nike Baseball Jerseys Sale . PETERSBURG, Fla.WASHINGTON -- The Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals compressed most of their excitement into a four-minute span. We score; you score. You score; we score. Sort of like one of those mini-games with the peewee players that are sometimes featured during intermission. Both coaches were aggravated, to say the least, but Carolinas Kirk Muller was in a better frame of mind about the whole thing because his team eventually won, taking a 4-3 victory in overtime Thursday night on Jeff Skinners third goal of the game. "Yeah, its not what coaches are wanting to see," Muller said with a chuckle. "Tonight it just looked like just whenever someone made a mistake, it was in our nets." With Washingtons Dmitry Orlov out of position, Skinner decided the game when he took a pass from Ryan Murphy to cap a 3-on-1 break at 1:20 of the extra period, giving the Hurricanes their second straight win after a five-game losing streak. The goal seemed far removed from the whirlwind stretch early in the second period, when five players scored goals and Alex Ovechkin missed a penalty shot -- all in 3 minutes, 45 seconds. It was a brand of dont-leave-your-seat hockey thats become all too familiar for the Capitals, who have a knack this season for letting up after scoring a goal. "I know its exciting for the fans," said Troy Brouwer, who scored for the Capitals during the goal cavalcade. "I know its a fun game to watch, but weve got to be able to calm it down. Whenever we score a goal -- we had a couple of big goals that put us ahead there -- weve got to be able to build off that and make sure that were not giving them opportunities right away. Its been a problem all year." Skinners second hat trick in less than a month gives him 19 goals for the season. Manny Malhotra also scored for the Hurricanes. With Cam Ward out with a lower body injury, Anton Khudobin made 38 saves in his first start since Oct. 13. Khudobin had been out with a lower body injury and was recalled Tuesday after a two-game conditioning assignment in the AHL. Ovechkin, skating on a new line with Eric Fehr and Mikhail Grabovski, broke a four-game point-less streak with his NHL-leading 31st goal before missing his penalty shot.dddddddddddd Brouwer and Steve Oleksy also scored for the Capitals, who have lost three straight and five of six. Philipp Grubauer, who has quickly emerged as the Capitals workhorse in goal ahead of Braden Holtby and Michal Neuvirth, started for the ninth time in 12 games and finished with 29 saves. Skinner scored the lone goal in the first period on a 5-on-3 -- it was more like 5-on-2 1/2 because Washingtons Nicklas Backstrom had a broken stick -- before Ovechkin opened the scoring in the second with a shot that was deflected by defenceman Ron Hainsey and fluttered past Khudobin. Then back and forth they went. Malhotra for the Hurricanes. Brouwer for the Capitals. Ovechkin was dragged down by newly minted U.S. Olympian Justin Faulk and given a penalty shot, but Khudobin poked the puck before the striker could make an attempt on net. Then Oleksy flung the puck toward the crease and watched it get deflected into the net for only his second goal of the season. Skinner got his second of the game when he put in a rebound to tie the score at 3. By then, Capitals coach Adam Oates was all but fed up. "Just mistakes. Mistakes. The guys that are on the ice are veteran guys," Oates said. "We talked about the things we talked about this morning, the icing. Stupid icings when we dont have to. We took a too many men penalty when we dont have to. You know, one of the goals -- (John) Erskine went in the zone and no one covered for him. Thats mistakes by veteran guys. They know better." Notes: Brooks Laich returned after missing 14 of 15 games with a groin injury. ... With F Riley Nash (lower body) out, the Hurricanes recalled F Brett Sutter from Charlotte of the AHL. ... Capitals D John Carlson was honoured during the first period with a video tribute for his selection to the U.S. Olympic team. Carlson is the first player in franchise history to represent the United States at the Winter Games. ' ' '