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, As always, I really enjoy your take on some of the questionable plays/calls/non-calls. I thought I would try and lighten it up a little with a request for you to share a truly funny or odd moment that you may have had while the players were lining up at the dot. There have been a couple of brief interchanges recently that made me think of this, the latest being at about 12:23 of the first in the Hawks/Kings game on Monday. With all the games you have done, there must be a few. Care to share any? Thanks again, Bajuhn Hey Bujuhn, The camera often catches intense debates between players or coaches and the officials but misses the lighter, humorous side that helps to bring the temperature down and build healthy professional working relationships. I learned early in my career that the use of humor, when appropriate (especially self-deprecating), had its place on the ice. Early in my very first season as a referee, I had a game where the home team was getting soundly trounced and their frustration was continuously being directed at me. I responded with multiple misconduct penalties and, toward the end of the game, players were sitting three deep in the penalty box. Following another goal that took the score in double digits, the coach sent his captain over to have a word with me. Very politely the captain asked, "Mr. Referee, my coach wants to know if he can get a penalty for thinking?" I said, "Probably not if he doesnt think out loud." The captain then said, "In that case, my coach thinks you are a F-ing A-hole!" I not only found the coaches comment to be creative but very funny and I began to laugh. The stern look on the face of the coach changed to a grin and then he began to laugh as well. The humor we shared in that moment, albeit at my expense, broke the ice and taught me a valuable lesson that would serve me throughout my career. In the early 1980s, I was the first referee to wear a wireless microphone during a game at MSG between the Minnesota North Stars and the Rangers. The microphone was left open throughout the entire game so it brought the television audience directly to the action on the ice with uncensored comments. We had several dust-ups throughout the game where my mic caught all the pleasantries that were being exchanged between players. Willi Plett tried to club Don Maloney of the Rangers in once such scrum and caught me on the bridge of my nose with his glove. After Plett served his penalty, he approached me at a stoppage of play and asked, "Is this your worst game of the season?" I shot back with a smile, "No, theyre all about this caliber." Plett looked dumbfounded and shook his head while skating away. At times, I tried to council rookie officials not to take themselves so seriously in an effort to solicit player cooperation and earn respect. In 1988, my friend and colleague, linesman Pierre Champoux signed an NHL contract. Pierre quickly developed into an excellent linesman but in the beginning of his career, he did not have a very good command of the English language to put it mildly. We left training camp together that September and headed out West to work exhibition games and to work on Pierres English language skills. One of our early assignments was in Los Angeles and the rookie linesman wanted to establish his full control in the faceoff circle. Bernie Nicholls entered Pierres domain late in the first period to take the draw. In what Nicholls correctly perceived as an aggressive tone and animated gesture, the linesman commanded Nichols with, "You, put your stick down!" Bernie straightened up, cussed at Champoux by questioning who the "F" the rookie thought he was talking to? Nicholls was immediately ejected from the faceoff with a quick jerk of the linesmans thumb followed by, "You, out!" I skated over and told Nicholls to relax as a replacement entered the faceoff circle. Between periods, I conveyed the importance of quickly developing a good working relationship with all the players to gain respect and solicit their cooperation. I acted out a role-play to demonstrate the linesmans command to Nicholls that wasnt well received; followed by a polite approach I always used by requesting the centres to "please put your sticks down." It was obvious to Pierre which method would be better received by a player in the future. I finished by commenting if Pierre still received a hostile comment from a player following his polite request to follow with a lighter approach by saying, "Why are you so grumpy, did someone piss on your cornflakes this morning?" Pierre said I like dat and he couldnt wait to get on the ice to try his new techniques in the faceoff circle; especially the cornflakes line as it turned out. As the centres arrived for the faceoff, Pierre still had a bit of an edge to his tone when he commanded, "You, put your stick down please." Getting some resistance from the player, my rookie student responded immediately with, "Put your stick down or I will piss on your corn-flake!" Something got lost in the translation. Champoux quickly developed a command of the English language and continues to be recognized by the players as a highly respected linesman in the NHL. Pierre also enjoys his bowl of cornflakes in the morning with low-fat milk. Sf Air Force 1 Canada .35 million, avoiding arbitration. Davis led the majors last season with 53 home runs and 138 RBIs, both career highs. He earned $3. Air Force 1 Low Canada . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh Penguins (5) – He was locked in all night, made huge stops on Benoit Pouliot, Raphael Diaz, Ryan Mcdonagh, Carl Hagelin, Rick Nash (twice) but none better than the three saves on Mats Zuccarello. http://www.airforce1canadasale.com/nike-shox-shoes-canada.html . Serbia captain Bogdan Obradovic said his team will include 9th-ranked Janko Tipsarevic and 27th-ranked Viktor Troicki as he decided to let the top-ranked Djokovic rest. Nike Air More Uptempo Black Canada . After a 10-game skid, winning sure feels good. Atlantas third error in the last two innings allowed Jackie Bradley Jr. Nike Shox R4 Canada . The San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Raiders are giving it a try, too. EDMONTON -- The New York Rangers showed on Sunday the kind of hockey they are hoping to consistently display come playoff time. Backup goaltender Cam Talbot stopped 26 shots for his third career shutout and Rick Nash and Mats Zuccarello each scored a pair of goals as the Rangers won their sixth game in their last seven outings, defeating the second-last place Edmonton Oilers 5-0. Derek Brassard also scored for the Rangers (42-30-4) who had two short-handed goals in the game to move two points up on the Philadelphia Flyers for second place in the Metropolitan Division. "On some nights you need some bounces and we got a couple tonight," said Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault. "Our penalty killing gave us two big goals tonight, which was good to see. "We hadnt played as well as we would have liked defensively in (a 4-3 loss to) Calgary on Friday. We were a lot better tonight." Centre Derek Stepan, who had three assists in the game, agreed with his coach. "We tightened it up and moving forward we have to play that way because the points are so big," said Stepan. "We have played a good defensive game over the last few weeks and that is what is going to lead to our offence and help us win." Nash said it is important that his team ramps it up down the stretch as they hope for a strong playoff run. "We have kind of a mini-playoffs right now just to get in," he said. "We are looking at every game as a must-win right now. You look at the teams that have success in the playoffs and it is usually ones that are playing well going in." The Rangers tied their franchise record for road wins with 24 this season. The Oilers (26-40-9) have lost four of their last five games. Edmontons Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said a team cant surrender two short-handed goals in a game and expect to have any success. "Its something that cant happen," he said. "Weve given up the most short-handed goals this season and its something that we cant afford to do. Whatever the reason, I think were a little overzealous and want to help guys out, but at the same time we have to be more cautious. "Teams are trying to capitalize on the penalty kill, they dont just dump it out every time. We have to be aware of that and its something that we have to be better at for sure." It was the ninth time this season that the Oilers have been shut out. "A lot of people say were a team that can score goals, but if you look at goals for in the league, were not even in the top 15," said Oilers forward David Perron. "We cant cheat to make plays and sometimes were guilty of that and that shows right away against teams that play the right way. "We sure werent generating anything. I dont think there was a minute in the game that we wanted. It was pretty embarrassing to play like that." Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins echoed Perrons sentiment, noting that the lack of offence on his team is something the organization will hope to adddress in the off-season.dddddddddddd "There is a misconception about this team," he said. "This is not a high-powered offensive team. Its not. The history over the last four or five years knows that. We have to find a way to manufacture some offence and its something that were going to have to look into this summer as we add and subtract." Edmonton goalie Ben Scrivens kept it scoreless seven minutes into the game with a huge kick save after Nash split the defence to go in alone on the power play. New York took a 1-0 lead with three-and-a-half minutes to play in the opening frame as Zuccarello tipped in an Anton Stralman shot on a play that Scrivens argued involved a high stick. It was reviewed and stuck as Zuccarellos 16th of the season. The Rangers almost had a two-goal lead two minutes later as a puck got behind Scrivens, but the goaltender was able to fish it to safety during a mad scramble in front of the net before it crossed the goal-line. The visiting team had eight first period shots, while the Oilers only mustered three on Talbot. New York took a 2-0 lead five minutes into the second period on the power play, on Brassards knuckler of a shot form the sideboards that seemed to catch Scrivens off guard. The Rangers made it a three-goal advantage with 11 minutes left in the second period as Nash threw a hopeful backhand from behind the goal-line in front and it hit Scrivens and went into the net to count as Nashs 24th goal of the season. New York continued to dominate as they made it 4-0 with seven minutes left in the second period on a short-handed two-on-one break with Nash converting a pass from Stepan. The Rangers upped their lead to 5-0 on another short-handed goal four minutes into the third period as defender Philip Larsen overcommitted to covering Stepan. He was able to earn his third assist with a feed to Zuccarello in front of the net for his second goal of the night. It was the 13th short-handed goal the Oilers have allowed this season. Both teams return to the ice on Tuesday as the Rangers play the third game of a four-game trip in Vancouver and the Oilers take their final three-game road trip of the season, starting in San Jose. Notes: It was the second and final meeting between the two teams this season. The Oilers won the first match-up 2-1 on Feb. 6 as Scrivens made 35 saves at Madison Square Garden. a The Oilers may be in second-last in the NHL, but they came into the game with a winning record against Eastern Conference teams, sitting at 14-13-4 before the loss. a Rangers forward Martin St. Louis has yet to score in his 14 games with New York since being traded there for Ryan Callahan and two draft picks. a Rangers forward Daniel Carcillo returned from a bout with the flu. ... Remaining out for New York were defenceman John Moore (concussion) and forward Chris Kreider (left hand). a Out for the Oilers were forwards Ryan Jones (knee) and Nail Yakupov (ankle), and defenceman Andrew Ference (chest). ' ' '