2013 » 3 on the power play, while Minnesota finished 0 of 4. N

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, After seeing the hit from Alex Killorn on Torontos Paul Ranger on Wednesday, do you think there was any way for the official to call it differently? Was tossing out Killorn simply based on seeing Ranger laid out on his back, or was there enough to see from the hit to justify getting him out of the game? Also, Tampas fifth goal was a bit controversial - Tyler Johnson interfered with Tim Gleason at the Leafs blue line, but no penalty was called. Johnson then notched the goal, leaving the Leafs ticked off. Maybe a bit of a sell job by Gleason that the officials saw? Paul Grey,Peterborough, ON Paul: The rule book contains many references where the referee is directed to impose a major and game misconduct for a foul resulting in injury. This direction and expected standard applies to almost every rule found in the physical foul category with the exception of rule 48 - illegal check to the head where there is no provision for a major penalty or game misconduct. (The referees did not want their authority to generally exceed a minor penalty for an infraction of rule 48 however a match penalty can also be assessed). A major penalty for boarding (41.3) can be assessed at the discretion of the referee based on the degree of violence of the impact with the boards, to a player guilty of boarding an opponent. Paul Ranger definitely impacted the boards with a high degree of violence and worthy of a major penalty following the poor decision Alex Killorn made to complete his intended hit with some muscle and hands finishing high. When a major is imposed under the boarding rule for a foul resulting in an injury to the face or head of an opponent a game misconduct must be assessed as well. Based upon the degree of impact with the boards and the resulting injury to Paul Ranger the referees had no alternative but to impose a major and game misconduct to Killorn. The correct call was made. There is a much bigger picture here that needs to be rectified. I saw this as an avoidable and needless injury for a variety of reasons as Ranger and Killorn pursued a loose puck below the goal line. First there was only 7.1 seconds remaining in the period when the hit on Ranger was made and puck possession (or in the case of Ranger, puck and bodily protection) should have been their primary focus. Paul Ranger had the lead lane and slowed with a glide motion to shoulder-check the time remaining and to notice the close proximity and attack angle of Killorns fore-check. There were definitely safer options available to Paul Ranger that he did not utilize. Some of those options became unavailable to him as the puck movement slowed in the corner below the goal line and Ranger overshot the puck location while looking back over his shoulder (Some possible options include: shouldering up and engage Killorn; keep the feet moving and square up to the end boards to take the hit from the side while protecting the puck or advancing it around the wall behind the net). Paul Ranger ultimately made a very dangerous decision and was rendered vulnerable by making a slight shoulder fake right and then a reverse turn to expose his back to Killorn and his face square to the boards. Alex Killorn, on the other hand, did not make a good decision to alter his intended hit with reduced velocity or elevation of hands and stick once Ranger exposed his back and was placed in a vulnerable position. Stick on ice might have been an indicator that puck possession mattered more than making a big hit. Alex Killorn did what practically every player does in todays game; which is to finish a check hard and with speed. There appears to be little regard for the consequences of these hits. Im not trying to single Alex out just that much more needs to be done to encourage better decisions by a player that sets himself up for a hit and those that finish the hit. That will take a concerted effort by the players themselves through NHLPA involvement to stop this parade to the medical room. There is only so much the Player Safety Committee can do. The contact Tyler Johnson initiated on Tim Gleason with the Lightning attacking the Leafs blue line on the power play was clearly an interference violation and deserving of a penalty. The attacking player must give way to the defenceman that is backing up on this play. Tim Gleason was focused on Michael Kostka carrying the puck through the middle of the neutral zone. Tyler Johnson approached Gleason from the side and would have made visual contact with the big Leafs defenceman. At that point Johnson must stop or alter his forward progress to avoid contact with Gleason; whether incidental or otherwise. While the official might have thought Gleason was trying to sell the call, the fact remains that he was interfered with by Johnson and effectively taken out of the play. The takeout of Gleason allowed clean entry into the Leafs zone by Tampa and should not be ruled a collision. To add insult to injury for the Leafs, Tyler Johnson scored the eventual goal with Gleason in chase after picking himself up off the ice in the neutral zone. Interference of this nature on a defenceman backing up, especially when a team is killing a penalty, should be called 10 out of 10 times! Josh Rosen Youth Jersey . Needing to bulk up on both sides of the line, the Falcons agreed to terms with guard Jon Asamoah, defensive end Tyson Jackson and defensive tackle Paul Soliai. 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While hell be dialed in to that tournament on a course he loves, you can forgive him if his eyes glance down the calendar just a bit, towards April.RALEIGH, N.C. -- Jason Pominville and the Minnesota Wild were winless in shootouts this season until a perfect performance Saturday night. Pominville scored a goal in regulation and the game-winner in the shootout to lift Minnesota to a 3-2 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes. All three Wild players scored in the shootout: Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu and Pominville. "It wasnt the prettiest win, but we found a way," Pominville said. "I think thats usually the sign of a good team. We go home now and try to keep it rolling." Justin Fontaine got the tying goal midway through the second period and Josh Harding made 27 saves to improve to 9-2-2 for Minnesota, which won for the seventh time in nine games. It was the first victory for the Wild in six trips to Carolina. "We were bound to win in a shootout in one of these," Fontaine said. "The end result was what we needed. Its always a big goal when you can tie the game up." Jiri Tlusty and Ryan Murphy scored for the Hurricanes, who had won two straight. Justin Peters stopped 28 shots but allowed all three goals in the shootout. Since losing five straight, the Hurricanes have earned points in their last three games. They have two more remaining on a five-game homestand. "I think its all just coming together,"t; Carolina coach Kirk Muller said.dddddddddddd "We have had a couple of good, strong games lately and we are playing well." Carolina was 0 for 3 on the power play, while Minnesota finished 0 of 4. Neither team had enjoyed any success in shootouts this season. Minnesota lost its three previous tries, including its last game at Washington. Carolinas record in the tiebreaker fell to 0-3. "We played a real solid game from start to finish," said Peters, who got his first career assist. "I just wished I could have gotten one of those shootout goals to give us a chance, but they made some real nice moves." Pominville opened the scoring 3:33 into the first period on a breakaway for his 200th NHL goal. The Hurricanes responded 1:20 later when Murphy, a second-year defenceman, took a shot from the right point that Harding couldnt stop. Tlusty made up for a pair of penalties he took in the first period by scoring his third goal of the season. He slipped a shot underneath Hardings pads as he skated through the slot at 7:14 of the second period. Fontaine tied it 4:08 later. NOTES: Minnesota D Ryan Suter extended his assist streak to four games and leads the Wild with 11 this season. ... Carolina RW Alexander Semin picked up his first assist since Oct. 28, giving him eight for the season. ' ' '