anager by saying Webster would

[blueberryjerry]

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. Hi Kerry, Bruins fan here, so probably biased. In the game on Wednesday against Detroit, there was a definite loss of sight of the puck on the Wings second goal. After what I believe was at least five seconds, it dropped out of Andrej Meszaros uniform and was kicked over to a Tomas Jurco for a goal. No one seemed to have any idea where the puck was. Maybe the official was guessing it was hung up in a uniform, but is that a valid reason for not blowing the whistle? Im thinking there is no definitive amount of time in the rules before blowing the whistle, so its subjective, but would you have blown that play dead? Thanks, Joe Joe: Presented with the same set of circumstance and perspective that the referee had on the play, I would most likely have delayed blowing the whistle as well. Let me explain how the hot spots in front of the net required the refs immediate focus of attention and ultimately delayed any action he might have taken to blow the play dead. Niklas Kronwall fired the puck from the point and it was immediately swallowed up in a tightly knit maze of eight players engaged in hand to hand combat directly in front of Bruins goalkeeper Tuukka Rask. The referee was in very good position just ahead of the goal line, approximately 15 feet from the action but looking through the backs of the majority of the players. From this location, the referee was intent on looking for the presence of a foul committed in the pack of players as much as he was trying to locate the puck. Brad Marchand grabbed Tomas Tatar around the head and ripped his helmet off then proceeded to clamp down on the Red Wing players stick that was located in Marchands midsection. Other players battled and pushed for position. In the next couple to few seconds, that I am sure seemed like minutes to you and the other Bruins fans Joe, the referee can be seen moving the whistle to his lips to kill the play. Player separation began to take place in this moment and the puck dropped from its concealed location in the equipment of Andrej Meszaros and visible for the referee. The ref immediately withdrew the whistle from his lips prior and allowed play to continue. Tomas Tatar could not extricate his stick from the clutches of Brad Marchand so instead he kicked the puck to open ice and onto the stick of teammate Tomas Jurco. The referee raised his arm to call a penalty for the hooking restraint that was being applied to Jurco by both Meszaros and Patrice Bergeron when the puck entered the net. While the puck was concealed in Andrej Meszaros equipment for approximately three seconds (my unofficial count) I cant fault the referee for not blowing the whistle given the action in front of the net that required his more immediate focus and attention. I have noted that the whistle was moving to the refs lips until the puck became visible which demonstrates his shift in visual and mental focus during the action. Given the circumstance surrounding this play, I cant think of many referees that would have ruled upon this any differently and delayed blowing the whistle; present company included. Joe, your Boston Bruins are playing incredible hockey. It is going to take more than a slow whistle for any team to beat them most nights if they continue to maintain this playoff form! . Head coach Randy Carlyle confirmed the news after the Leafs morning skate on Monday. Kozun was hurt during Friday nights home game against the Red Wings and did not make the return trip to Detroit for Saturdays game. . Lineup news, Fantasy and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking. HEROES St. Louis Blues – After rolling the San Jose Sharks for seven goals, for the second time in a week, the Blues have a bunch of players on hot streaks. . Their 9-19 record remains identical to the crosstown rivals in Brooklyn and trails both Toronto and Boston in the Atlantic Division. Raymond Felton, their declining point guard, is back on the sideline nursing his third injury of the season.NASHVILLE -- Ken Whisenhunt is at a point in his NFL career where chemistry is really important to him, feeling comfortable with an organization. He said Tuesday thats a big reason why he is now the new coach of the Tennessee Titans. Whisenhunt said he hit it off quickly with Ruston Webster when interviewing for the job Friday night. The coach also had interest from Detroit and Cleveland. The Titans also met with Cincinnati defensive co-ordinator Mike Zimmer on Monday in Houston before hiring Whisenhunt. The Titans introduced Whisenhunt on Tuesday as their 17th head coach and only their third different coach since moving to Tennessee in 1997. Webster called it a new day toward creating a new culture. "I felt great about Ruston, about that working relationship, and I have tremendous confidence in Mr. (Tommy) Smith and he wants to win," Whisenhunt said of the Titans president and chief executive officer. "And Im excited about that." Webster said it was a fast and furious process picking a new coach after parting with Mike Munchak on Jan. 4. The general manager believes Whisenhunt is an excellent fit for the Titans and to create a new culture around the organization. Tennessee is coming off a 7-9 record and is 36-44 over the past five seasons since the Titans last playoff appearance. ESPN.com reported the Titans offered Whisenhunt $1 million more a year than the Detroit Lions. Neither Whisenhunt, Webster nor Smith would comment when asked how long the new coachs contract is. "A recruiting pitch wasnt necessarily needed there," Webster said of landing Whisenhunt. "It was just more about ... talking football and philosophy and direction, and I do think we bring a lot to the table with this team and this city. There is a lot to sell here." Theres also several questions to be answered, including whether Jake Locker has competition for the Titans starting quarterback job and Chris Johnsons future with the team. The Chargers lost in the playoffs Sunday in Denver, and Whisenhunt said he hasnt had a chance to study either Locker or Johnson. The running back is due $8 million in 2014 after averaging a career-worst 3.9 yards per ccarry, while Locker has missed 14 of 32 starts since the eighth overall draft selection was named Tennessees starting quarterback. . Whisenhunt said he liked Locker coming out of college in 2011 and he tries to put players in position to succeed. Asked if the Titans would consider using the 11th overall draft pick in May on another quarterback, Whisenhunt gave a glimpse of the relationship he expects with his general manager by saying Webster would take the best player available. Webster helped draft Locker, who is under contract for 2014. "I think thats something well continue to discuss and go through," Webster said. "But I would anticipate Jake having a good chance to do that." Whisenhunt has a solid track record of getting the most out of quarterbacks. The 51-year-old is 49-53 overall as a head coach, all in six seasons at Arizona where he took the Cardinals to their only Super Bowl berth in 2009 with Kurt Warner. He won consecutive NFC West titles in 2008 and 2009, and his offence in 2008 ranked fourth in the NFL. He started his coaching career with Vanderbilt in 1995 before going to the NFL in 1997 coaching tight ends for Baltimore. He coached special teams with Cleveland in 1999 and tight ends with the Jets in 2000 before going to Pittsburgh where the Steelers won a Super Bowl in his second season as offensive co-ordinator working with Ben Roethlisberger. Whisenhunt spent the past year in San Diego as offensive co-ordinator with the Chargers gaining the fifth-most yards in the NFL, while Philip Rivers matched his career-high passer rating helping burnish the coachs reputation for his work with quarterbacks. The new coach has to fill his coaching staff, and he said he has no agreements with any assistants yet. He plans to meet with the remaining Titans assistants still under contract. John McNulty appears to be a top candidate as his offensive co-ordinator, though Whisenhunt said he plans to call plays himself unless told he cant. Smith certainly sounds ready to watch Whisenhunt call offensive plays for Tennessee. "The fact hes going to be the play caller delights me," the Titans president said. ' ' '

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