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Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn. Rod Beck Jersey .ca. Hey Kerry, Whats the standard for officiating on hits and shoves after the whistle? Andrei Markov laid a late hit on Ondrej Palat after the whistle in last nights Habs-Lightning game, while Radko Gudas was giving extra pushes and shoves after play was stopped as well! How much is too much? Carrie ---- Hi Kerry, I appreciate your candor in your columns. With the playoffs upon us I am going to put you on the spot. Does the league mandate that officials loosen the reins on the rules come playoffs? I have played, coached and been a fan of the game for many years and it would appear there is a different standard (I use Brad Marchand repeatedly punching one of the Sedins after a whistle with no call in the 2011 Stanley Cup final as Exhibit A). As a fan I hate the relaxed standard that is apparent in the playoffs. Andy,Toronto Hi Carrie and Andy: And so the games begin! We all know that game intensity is quickly ramped up in the playoffs. At ice level, a referee must be able to feel the energy that players exude from the opening puck drop and allow the game to unfold. Each game has a unique heartbeat and the officials need to constantly take the pulse into account and determine when it is appropriate to impose themselves. Im not talking about when to call a trip or other obvious infraction but more specifically how to regulate the temperature of a game. The refs need to tap into and differentiate between the positive energy (which they must allow to flourish) and any excessive negative energy (which they must take measures to control). Quite often there is a fine line between the two once we enter the high stakes of playoff competition. One incident can spike the game temp, such as the deliberate snow shower that Ryan Garbutt buried Ducks goalie Frederik Anderson with, or the late body check from Andrei Markov on Ondrej Palat. On the first play, the referee took immediate control by assessing an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to Garbutt, thereby sending a clear message that any "cheap" liberties on the goalkeeper would not be tolerated. I asked Marty Biron, whom I sat beside in the TSN studio last night, if a snow shower throws a goalie off his game. Marty said it actually does the opposite and will motivate the goalie to remain focused and play harder. Adding insult to injury, Matt Beleskey scored the fourth Ducks goal with Garbutt in the box. That became a costly penalty once Dallas closed the gap and Anaheim hung on for the 4-3 win. There was less need for the refs to exert control on the late Markov check. It was a clean shoulder check (other than after the whistle), it was in open ice as opposed to into the boards (in which case I am quite sure a penalty would have resulted) and even though it resulted in a scrum, the benefit of the doubt could be offered that Markov was in the act of finishing a check and the whistle was a little late. If after this "freebee" extended by the refs there was another episode of a testosterone rush someone should pay the price of a penalty call. Andy, there is no specific direction or league mandate given to the officials to loosen the reins on the rules. They are instructed to utilize their "best judgment" to ensure that marginal penalties are avoided at all times. This suggestion can plant a seed in the mind of the officials that isnt always positive. As the game moves closer to the end the refs feel an internal pressure to make sure that if they do raise their arm it will be judged as a "solid" penalty call. They want desperately to keep the spotlight off themselves. That thought process, when taken to excess, can negatively alter the standard that had been set throughout the game. Candidly speaking, a referee might avoid calling a foul that occurs 100 plus feet from the net since it doesnt involve a direct scoring opportunity. At that point he gambles and hopes that continued game flow gets him out of a self-perceived controversy. You and I know this is not the right approach, nor is it in the best interest of the game. Those in charge of rating the officials performance have a hand in this process as well. We have seen situations where a ref has stepped up and made a gutsy (and correct) call that impacts a game only to find himself dropped from further playoff assignments due to the nuclear fallout. Brad Marchand rag dolling Daniel Sedin in the 2011 Cup Final is just one example we could cite with regard to ref avoidance issues. Players will take full advantage when they feel the referee has put his whistle away. On the flip side, I recall Jerome Iginla chasing me around the ice after I whistled Andrew Ference for blasting Martin St. Louis into the end boards with less than two minutes remaining in Game 7 of the 2004 Cup Final with the Lightning leading by a score of 2-1. It was an obvious penalty but the score, time and emotion altered Iginlas perception and acceptance of the call. Then came the first lockout season and the "New NHL" spawned an attitude that penalties would be called regardless of the score and time. The standard has eroded somewhat from that strong initiative and needs to be restored before we move much farther through this playoff season. As I mentioned in a previous column, the referees need to demonstrate sound judgment and courage to make the perceived "tough" call. When the refs do make them they must be supported by the Officiating Department managers. That is the seed that needs to grow. Ron Cey Jersey . A steady downpour and low temperatures were predicted for much of the night. No makeup date was immediately announced, although it was determined that the game will not be part of a doubleheader on Wednesday. Custom Cubs Jerseys . Will Venable and Ryan Ludwick drove in a run each for the Padres, who have taken six of their last seven contests and clinched their third straight series win after winning the first two in this set. Clayton Richard (4-9) allowed five hits and a pair of runs over seven innings, while fanning five. http://www.customcubsjersey.com/custom-kyle-hendricks-jersey-large-1410n.html . In the opening game of his fourth-round match at the U.S. Open, the owner of 17 major titles got passed at the net twice, sailed a backhand long, then missed two forehands to get broken.NEW YORK, N.Y. - Woody Johnsons search for the New York Jets next coach and general manager has taken him to Seattle.Seahawks defensive co-ordinator Dan Quinn and assistant head coach-offensive line coach Tom Cable, along with former Buffalo coach Doug Marrone, are on the Jets early list of candidates to replace the fired Rex Ryan.Johnson flew to Seattle on Thursday, along with consultants Ron Wolf and Charley Casserly, and interviewed Seahawks director of pro personnel Trent Kirchner for New Yorks general manager position, which opened when Johnson fired John Idzik along with Ryan on Monday.While in Seattle, the trio also will meet with Quinn and Cable. It was a busy day for the Jets, who interviewed Cleveland executive chief of staff Bill Kuharich in New Jersey before they headed to Seattle.Marrone became a prime candidate for the Jets when he abruptly stepped down Wednesday night as Bills coach. He exercised an opt-out clause in his contract, essentially making himself a coaching free agent. Marrone led the Bills to a 9-7 finish in his second season for Buffalos first winning campaign since 2004. Buffalo still missed the playoffs, extending the NFLs longest active post-season drought to 15 seasons — but beat the Jets twice.As of Thursday night, it was uncertain when the Jets would interview with Marrone. It likely will occur as soon as Johnson returns from Seattle, perhaps as soon as Sunday. Marrone, a Bronx native, has some ties to Johnson and the Jets: He was their offensive line coach under Herm Edwards from 2002-05.Quinn also was a Jets assistant from 22007-08 under Eric Mangini. Jose Quintana Jersey. Hes also from Morristown, New Jersey, located just minutes from the Jets training facility in Florham Park.New York also plans to interview San Diego offensive co-ordinator Frank Reich, but nothing had been scheduled. There is also interest from the Jets in Arizona defensive co-ordinator Todd Bowles and Baltimore offensive co-ordinator Gary Kubiak.The Jets already interviewed two in-house candidates Wednesday: Rod Graves and Anthony Lynn.Graves, the teams senior director of football administration, met with Johnson, Wolf and Casserly for the GM job. Before being brought to New York by Idzik in 2013, Graves was Arizonas general manager for six seasons. He is currently overseeing New Yorks football operations on an interim basis until a GM is hired.Lynn, who interviewed for the coaching position, was the running backs coach and served as assistant head coach under Ryan.With those two meetings, the team also satisfied the NFLs Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for open positions.In addition to Kirchner, the Jets have scheduled interviews with Houston director of college scouting Mike Maccagnan and Philadelphia director of pro personnel Rick Mueller, but it wasnt immediately certain when those would occur.Two candidates the Jets were interested in — Baltimore assistant GM Eric DeCosta and Minnesota assistant GM George Paton — turned down interview requests, preferring to remain with their current teams.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '