Perines second 1-yard TD run deadlocked the contest once more from cherry452's blog
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Kerry, Have you ever worked the final game of a Stanley Cup Final? If so, what do the officials do after the game? Is it a special night for them, too? And what is involved in the off-season? Thanks, Mark in Edmonton -- Mark: Even though it has been a couple of days since the Cup was hoisted by the Los Angeles Kings in the Staples Center the celebration continues through Monday with a scheduled Stanley Cup Parade for the players and their fans. Scott Niedermayer Ducks Jersey . Congratulations to the Kings on their success; not only for winning the Cup but for the way they battled through each of the previous series to advance to the final! Their never quit attitude and strength of character was something special to watch. The New York Rangers also deserve tremendous credit for overcoming adversity on different fronts and for their outstanding playoff run. The final game was as intense and exciting as any fan could hope for regardless of who you were cheering for. The officials would have observed the post-series handshake from near the referees crease and most likely remained on the ice as Commissioner Bettman presented the Stanley Cup. This is as close as a referee or linesman can get to being part of the Stanley Cup experience; some 45 feet away as it being presented to the winning team captain. After Dustin Brown received the Cup the officials would skate slowly along the boards, unnoticed as they retreated from the ice at the Zamboni entrance and then enter the safety and solitude of their dressing room. There is certainly an element of relief that the series and their season is over as the officials shake hands and congratulate each other on their work together as a team. The playoff run is a long grind for the officials as well and the thought of going home to their family and not having to pack their equipment bag for at least a couple of months are both welcome thoughts. There might also be some trepidation as to how the crews performance will be regarded and evaluated by their superiors. There is intense pressure surrounding each game and every closely-scrutinized decision that an official is called upon to make. Regardless of the outcome, they give their best and hope that their effort and judgment is perceived as “good enough”. It is also a moment for self-reflection on their personal performance and in the bigger picture of the journey that began at training camp and ended in this pinnacle of the season and perhaps in their career. There is a sense of accomplishment. The referees are required to attend to one last piece of business by scribing their signature on the final game sheet once it is brought into their dressing room by the Official Scorer. Although not required, I always had the linesmen sign the game sheet as well and then asked for copies that each of us could keep as a memento of the final game. After the Officiating and Hockey Operations Department personnel completed their debriefing comments the officials would relax with a cold beverage followed by a hot shower. Food would have been catered in and once the officials were showered and dressed they would open the room to family and friends that might have attended the game. My wife, Kathy attended all but two of the dozen Stanley Cup Final series that I worked, in addition to the 98 Winter Olympics in Nagano and the ‘96 World Cup of Hockey in Europe. Each of our seven children took turns attending Cup Final games and they share wonderful memories of being part of something very special from behind the scenes. I always wanted to share any business success that I enjoyed with my family since they made sacrifices as a result of me being away from home so much during the season. The referees and linesmen returned to their home base the morning after the game in Los Angeles and will attempt to quickly get back into the swing of family life in time for Fathers Day. I hope they plan to get away to relax and reconnect. Kathy and I always planned a vacation; just the two of us to get away for a week or 10 days immediately after the season. It was an important time for me to decompress and for us to enjoy each other as husband and wife. Once school ended for the children we took them on a special family vacation as well. It is very important for an official to try to keep his life in balance and reward the best and sometimes only fans he has; namely his family! Mark, I worked several final games but one of the most memorable was Colorados seven-game victory over the New Jersey Devils in 2001. The primary reason for that is because it was Raymond Bourques first and only time hoisting the Stanley Cup. In his 20 full seasons with Boston, the Bruins had come up short against Edmonton in both 1988 and 1990. At the age of 40, the five-time Norris Trophy winner as the leagues top defenceman led all Avs blue liners in scoring, with 59 points, was named to the First All-Star team, and was runner–up to Nicklas Lidstrom of the Detroit Red Wings in the Norris Trophy voting. He also scored the winning goal in Game 3 of the final. As I prepared to work Game 7 of that series, I must tell you the city of Denver was electrified from the moment the sun came up that morning. The only minute of calm I found that day was at 8am, when I went down to the Pepsi Center for a skate before the teams arrived. I skated alone in the empty, dimly lit arena for 30 minutes, while outside the building, television trucks and equipment filled the nearest parking lot. I had never seen so much media coverage for a final, and the big story was Raymond Bourque. The Avalanche won Game 7 that night, and in a remarkable display of class and respect, team captain Joe Sakic, after posing with the Cup, handed it directly to Ray Bourque so that he could be the first to skate a victory lap. My colleagues and I watched Ray skate the Cup around the ice from the Zamboni entrance and then retreated to our dressing room. It was something special to have been part of. The game had gone well for us and there had been no controversy. We felt good about the job we had done and felt peace and contentment as a result. We celebrated the end of our season together as colleagues and then quickly showered and brought our wives and family members into the room to celebrate with us. We went to a fine Denver steakhouse as a close-knit group and held our own “Stanley Cup party;” not because we won anything but because we had done our job well. Kathy and I flew home the next morning feeling joyous in the knowledge that it was, once again family time even though it would only last a month or so until it was time to begin my conditioning program to get ready for training camp. Then it would all begin again! Such is the life for an NHL referee and his family. Thank you for another terrific season on Cmon Ref. Please enjoy a safe and happy summer with your family. I hope to see you back here again next season. Dustin Tokarski Jersey .What they got was a bevy of players chipping in to pick up the slack.Josh Smith scored 18 points and James Harden added 17 as the Rockets used a balanced scoring effort to outlast the Mavericks for a 99-94 victory. Corey Perry Ducks Jersey . David Perron had a career high four-point night with two goals and two assists as the Oilers experienced an offensive explosion, blasting the Columbus Blue Jackets 7-0 to record a rare home win for their second victory in a row.Fort Worth, TX - Trevone Boykin threw for 318 yards and a pair of touchdowns, as No. 25 TCU knocked off fourth-ranked Oklahoma, 37-33, on Saturday. Boykin ended up 20-of-38 passing while contributing 77 yards on 22 carries for the Horned Frogs (4-0, 1-0 Big 12), who posted their first-ever win on their home field against Oklahoma in their sixth try. B.J. Catalon posted a rushing and receiving TD apiece, while Deante Gray added a touchdown reception and Kolby Listenbee racked up 103 yards on five grabs. Samaje Perine crossed the goal line three more times, though racking up just 87 yards on 25 carries for the Sooners (4-1, 1-1), who saw their eight-game winning streak halted. Trevor Knight was just 14-of-35 for 309 yards and threw two costly interceptions. He also added 61 yards on 13 attempts in defeat. Sterling Shepard accounted for a game-high 215 receiving yards and a touchdown on seven receptions for Oklahoma, which faces Texas in the Red River Shootout next Saturday in Dallas. Up by only four, things looked bleak for TCU with just over seven minutes to play as Boykin fumbled on a first-down rush, with Eric Striker recovering and running to the hosts 21. Two plays later, Knight was picked off again, this time by Chris Hackett. On the next play, though, Catalon fumbled and the Sooners took over on the hosts 46 thanks to the strip and scoop by Geneo Grissom. The TCU defense held on a 4th-and-1 from its own 22, stopping Perine short of the marker with 3:08 to go. Oklahoma got the ball back with under a minute left and reached just past midfield when Knightts heave landed beyond the back of the end zone as time ran out. Jakob Silfverberg Ducks Jersey. TCU capitalized on the opening drive of the contest, as Cliff Murphy recovered a fumble by Boykin -- who stretched his arm out to the goal line before losing control of the ball -- in the end zone. Catalon held onto the ball to make it 14-0 on the hosts ensuing series, rolling in from seven yards out, but Oklahoma made good on its next two touches on a 1-yard run from Perine and a 75-yard catch-and-run from Knight to Shepard. Boykin and Catalon hooked up for a 39-yard scoring strike and TCU was back on top early in the second quarter by a 21-14 count. Perines second 1-yard TD run deadlocked the contest once more, then a 31-yard make from Jaden Oberkrom with 1:39 left in the half provided a 24-21 edge to the Frogs. Michael Hunnicutts 32-yard try was good on the final play of the quarter. Perines third score of the afternoon, a 7-yard run, capped the Sooners first touch of the second half, pushing the visitors ahead 31-24. TCU responded right away on a 29-yard strike from Boykin to Gray. Early in the fourth, Knight threw right into the hands of Paul Dawson, who returned it 41 yards for a 37-31 game, then the extra point was blocked and returned by Zack Sanchez for a two-point conversion. Game Notes The Horned Frogs claimed a 469-461 edge in total offense ... Oklahomas last loss was a 41-12 road shellacking doled out by Baylor on Nov. 7, 2013 ... TCU had suffered home losses to the Sooners in 1946 (14-12), 1948 (21-18), 1993 (35-3), 1998 (10-9) and 2012 (24-17). Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '
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