Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at [email protected]. Hi Kerry, Welcome back! Im sure you heard Peter Forsbergs comments last week regarding Canadian referees in the gold medal game. Seems to me that he was questioning the integrity and impartiality.Did you think there was anything peculiar about this decision? Thanks,Ed Hi Ed: I am thrilled that NHL hockey is back and we can all adjust our watches back to the North American time zone! Initially, I was surprised by the expletive-deleted comments Peter Forsberg made the day before the Gold Medal game and following the IIHFs selection of four North American NHL officials to work the Canada-Sweden game. Even though the officials nationality and residency slanted exclusively toward Canadian soil, the timing of Forsbergs comments (the day before the puck was dropped) caused me to pause and consider the Swedish general managers motives. Ive seen plenty of "gamesmanship" from general managers and coaches during Stanley Cup playoffs and finals, but Peter Forsbergs public comments rank up near the top of the list in attempting to gain an advantage and competitive edge. Peter was not only a world class player but I also know him to be a very intense competitor. That being said, Peter is not a stupid man and made a calculated move in hopes of gaining some advantage for his players against a highly skilled Canadian team. I believe Peters comments were designed to put the IIHF on notice in the event he felt the need to complain post-game but most importantly to plant a seed in the head of each game official hoping his team might receive the benefit of the doubt when one could be offered. It also became a story the day before the game designed to deflect some of the pressure away from Team Sweden players. I dont believe that Peter Forsberg would honestly question the integrity and impartiality of the NHL Officials that were assigned to work the game. Kelly Sutherland, Brad Meir, Derek Amell and Greg Devorski were selected on the merit of their work during the Olympics and were regarded as the very best! They are professionals in the true sense of the word. The players have more confidence in the NHL officials ability than their International counterparts. Swedish team captain Niklas Kronwall of the Detroit Red Wings believed that both teams would benefit from North American officials when he was quoted as saying, "We are used to having referees from USA and Canada in the NHL. We know their standards so I think its easier for us too if the referees are from there." And teammate Erik Karlsson of the Ottawa Senators agreed. Prior to 1998, the IIHF would not assign an official to work a game in which his country of nationality was participating in. Only neutral officials were assigned. That changed in Nagano with the inclusion of NHL players and officials. The best officials were assigned to the games regardless of their country of nationality or residency. In response to Peter Forsbergs comments, IIHF officiating manager Konstantin Komisarov issued the following statement on the selection process; "The main factor of the selection of these officials has most of all to do with their experience officiating in high-level competitions. These include Stanley Cup playoffs, World Championship competitions and Olympic competitions. Their nationalities arent considered as factors nor should they be, we want the best officials working the medal games. We are fully confident that with their experience and professionalism these officials will do their job well and preserve the integrity of the game." Good for Konstantin Komissarov and the IIHF officiating committee for selecting the best officials to work the Gold Medal game. The officiating crew did an outstanding job and preserved the integrity of the game as Konstantin was confident they would. Last Sunday, the game was played on Olympic ice in Sochi and not in the media. Peter Forsbergs silver medal-winning Swedish team was beaten fair and square by Canada to take Gold. The officiating was a complete non-factor; regardless of county of nationality. NHL officials are clearly the best in the world. [url=http://www.packernflshop.com/?p=16]#76 Mike Daniels Elite Jersey[/url] . - The Detroit Lions have placed tight end Brandon Pettigrew on injured reserve, ending his season. [url=http://www.packernflshop.com/?p=14]Packers Martellus Bennett Game Jersey[/url] . -- Darrelle Revis says at least 26 teams called after he was released by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. [url=http://www.packernflshop.com/?p=4]http://www.packernflshop.com/?p=4[/url] . Wall made the comment in a speech to a Regina business crowd that included Lesnar. The U.S. wrestler and retired mixed martial artist says he was visiting his brothers farm in Saskatchewan and decided he wanted to hear what the premier had to say. [url=http://www.packernflshop.com/?p=19]Nike Randall Cobb #18 Jersey[/url] .Y. - Rob Manfred was promoted Monday to Major League Baseballs chief operating officer, which may make him a candidate to succeed Bud Selig as commissioner. [url=http://www.packernflshop.com/?p=9]Nike Jordy Nelson Game Jersey[/url] . I wondered how NHL coaches would feel about a playoff schedule that allowed them to open a best-of-seven series on the road, which many claim to favour, yet still gave them the precious home-ice edge for a seventh game.SAN DIEGO - A handful of San Diego regulars still arent hitting their weight, and the Padres had only six hits against Max Scherzer and the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. That would normally have the Padres heading for a loss, especially at Petco Park. Thanks, though, to big right-hander Tyson Ross and some timely hitting, the Padres beat the Tigers 5-1 to take two of three for their first series win this season. Ross outdueled Scherzer, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, and Jedd Gyorko and Xavier Nady homered. "It was a big day for us," said Will Venable, who hit a two-run double after Scherzer walked two batters to open the fourth. "Not necessarily because of the Tigers, but because we got the series win." The Padres had lost two of three in each of their first three series. So taking two of three from the Tigers "means a lot, obviously," Nady said. "Thats an unbelievable organization and an unbelievable team. When youre struggling and you can take two out of three against a team like that, it shows whats in this ballclub, and the fight. We obviously didnt come out of the gate playing well. The pitching has done a tremendous job and now its our turn on the offensive side to get some guys going and hopefully get some runs early and get big hits and start playing well," he said. After two shaky opening starts, Ross (1-2) struck out seven and held the Tigers to one run and six hits in seven innings. He walked one. Ross said he made an adjustment in his delivery since his last start. He even had an RBI single against Scherzer. But he didnt take it as a bigger challenge than normal. "The only one I really had was worrying about hitting against him," Ross said. "Ive seen him on TV and knew he was going to be a tough one live. Other than that Im facing the Tigers, not necessarily just Max." Scherzer (0-1) allowed four runs and four hits in five innings, struck out 10 and walked three. The Tigers have scored three runs for Scherzer in his three starts. He called his days work "Inefficient. I just didnt feel like I was efficient out there but Ive got to give them credit. Im not going to ignore what they did. They battled me and they made me work. I also felt like I didnt consistently pound the strike zone the way Im accustomed to. I fell behind too many guys. I let them get too many hitters counts for them to capitalize on." The Tigers have lost four of six under rookie manager Brad& Ausmus, who was working in the Padres front office when Detroit hired him in November.dddddddddddd Gyorko homered to left on a 3-1 fastball from Scherzer leading off the second, his first. "It was good to get into a hitters count," said Gyorko, who also made some nice plays at second base. "It was good to get us started. Especially the way Tyson was throwing, we knew we didnt need to get many. Just try to get that first run on the board and let him kind of go to work." Gyorko and Venable are hitting just .163 while Chase Headley is hitting .186. "Hopefully its the start of something. It just takes one swing to kind of get you started sometimes," Gyorko said. "Our at-bats as a team have gotten better as the season has gone on, so hopefully we can keep it going." The Tigers tied it in the fourth, when Torii Hunter hit a leadoff double and scored on Victor Martinezs one-out single. Scherzer faltered by walking Chase Headley and Yonder Alonso to open the fourth and the Padres jumped on him for a 4-1 lead. Venable doubled down the right-field line to bring in Headley and Alonso, and Ross singled to left to bring in Venable. "Leadoff walks kill you," Scherzer said, "especially if you do it twice. Thats a recipe for disaster. That was the difference in the game. I have to attack the zone early in the count." Nady, 35, hit an opposite-field pinch homer off Ian Krol an estimated 422 feet into the sandy play area beyond the fence in right-centre leading off the seventh. Dating to 2012, his last three big league hits have been home runs. He homered Tuesday at Cleveland. Before that, his last homer was on Sept. 30, 2012, while with San Francisco, at Petco Park against Padres closer Huston Street. NOTES: It was Nadys seventh career pinch homer. ... Padres manager Bud Black said theres a "probability" LF Carlos Quentin will take batting practice on the field before Mondays game against Colorado. Quentin opened the season on the disabled list with a bone bruise in his left knee. ... The Tigers are off Monday before opening a homestand Tuesday night, with RHP Anibal Sanchez (0-0, 3.00) scheduled to start against Zach McAllister (1-0, 2.31) of the Indians. The Padres continue their 10-game homestand with the opener of a four-game series against Colorado. LHP Eric Stults (0-2, 5.59) is scheduled to start against RHP Jordan Lyles (2-0, 3.86). 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