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Being an NHL referee can be trying at times

Blog: lcy
Posted by: Sunday 29th January 2012, 2:47am

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KITCHENER, Ont. Jason Pierre-Paul Womens Jersey . - Being an NHL referee can be trying at times. But Cambridge native John Ashley never let the crowd get to him. \"My dads commentary was, `if theyre watching me, theyre missing one helluva good game,\" Ashleys daughter, Kristine Bailey, recalled. \"I think I heard him say that hundreds of times. \"Most people dont like officials. You either love them or hate them. He used to just laugh it off and say its apart of the game.\" Ashley, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame and called more than 650 NHL games, died of heart failure Saturday at St. Marys Hospital in Kitchener. He was 77. Born in Galt but raised in Preston, Ashley hit the ice as a youngster and forged a successful hockey career playing for the Toronto Marlies and Guelph Biltmores on the junior A circuit, before moving onto stints with Pittsburgh and Syracuse in the American Hockey League. Though talented, he saw a future in officiating and donned the zebra stripes, signing his first contract with the NHL in 1959. After starting in the minors, he was soon promoted to the big league and established himself as one of the most reliable referees in the business. Osi Umenyiora Jersey .Y. -- El Nino has landed in New York. Just four months after making history at the 2010 Entry Draft by becoming the highest Swiss-born player ever selected, Nino Niederreiter will become the youngest player in the history of the New York Islanders when they host the Dallas Stars on Saturday. BenJarvus Green-Ellis Womens Jersey . The Brewers, winners of five in a row, had just three hits in the opener of the three-game set, but one was a titanic two-run blast off the bat of Rickie Weeks in the third inning. Starting pitcher Randy Wolf had the other hit, a single just before Weeks homer off a Miller Lite sign beyond the wall in center field. Wes Welker Super Bowl Jersey . Laval is Canadas only undefeated team with a 6-0 slate, and the Gaiters are 5-1. Laval again claimed the No. 1 rating, and that is something they have achieved now in 53 of 57 weeks since 2005. The Rouge et Or took a 19-12 win over the Montreal Carabins in front of a sold out crowd of 5,000-plus this weekend in Montreal. Deion Branch Super Bowl Jersey . Bartlett singled, walked twice and drove in two runs for the Rays, who have won six of their last eight games. Evan Longoria hit a solo home run. \"They played us really tough yesterday and they came up with that huge hit (in the 11th inning),\" Pena said. Devin McCourty Jersey . Liverpool was thrashed 6-3 by Arsenal at Anfield when they last met in the competition in January 2007. Tottenham, last years finalist and the 2008 champion, is at home to Everton in the fourth round while Chelsea will host Bolton. LONDON -- Chelsea boosted its slim chances of retaining the Premier League title by beating Manchester City 2-0, while Liverpool closed in on fifth-place Tottenham with a 2-0 victory at Sunderland on Sunday. Brazil internationals David Luiz and Ramires scored in the final 12 minutes to settle a hard-fought match at Stamford Bridge, lifting Chelsea a point above City into third place and nine points adrift of United with a game in hand. \"The longer the game went on, the better we got going forward,\" Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti said. \"It was a big win for us. \"We have nine games to play and we have to do our best. Our form is good.\" City, which was without injured top scorer Carlos Tevez, is now four points above Tottenham having played one match more. With the teams title hopes all but over, its focus could now be on staying in the top four. \"We played three days ago against Dynamo Kyiv (in the Europa League), and in the last 20 minutes we were so tired,\" City manager Roberto Mancini said. \"Until 70 minutes, it was normal that Chelsea had more possession but we conceded nothing before then.\" A controversial penalty, scored by Netherlands forward Dirk Kuyt in the 34th minute, set Liverpool on its way to victory at the Stadium of Light. Video replays showed Jay Spearing was fouled outside the box by John Mensah but the assistant referee awarded a penalty. \"There was a bit of dispute over whether the foul occurred inside or outside the box,\" Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish said. \"From where we (the coaches) are, I couldnt honestly tell you but if we have got a fortuitous one, then we have got a fortuitous decision in that instance. \"Overall, it was a great effort from our players.\" A wonderful solo effort from Uruguay striiker Luis Suarez in the 77th minute clinched the three points for Liverpool before Mensah was given a straight red card for hauling down Suarez as he chased a long punt upfield by goalkeeper Jose Reina. Deion Branch Jersey. The Reds are four points behind Tottenham but have played a game more. From a position of strength where the team looked to be ready to challenge for a European spot, Sunderland hasnt won since January and is only six points off the relegation zone. \"It was one of those horrible afternoons,\" Sunderland manager Steve Bruce said. With Arsenal only drawing 2-2 at struggling West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, Chelsea and City knew a victory would narrow the gap to the stuttering Gunners. And from the outset, it was clear only Chelsea was really going to look for the win. City played with Edin Dzeko up front on his own -- Tevez missed out owing to a groin problem -- and the Bosnia international was given little support from midfield. Yaya Toure had Citys best chance and that came in the sixth minute, the Ivory Coast midfielder stinging the palms of Petr Cech with a fierce shot. Otherwise, it was all Chelsea, whose pressure only told in the final quarter of the match as City tired following its exertions against Kyiv on Thursday. Didier Drogba, who replaced the ineffective Fernando Torres in the 70th minute, set up Luiz for the opener, the defender meeting a curling free kick with a powerful header into the corner for his second goal for Chelsea. Ramires, a growing influence as the match progressed, settled the match with a fancy piece of footwork as he danced through Citys defence before finishing with aplomb past Joe Hart. \"Tactically, it was a good game for us,\" Ancelotti said. \"And we had good fighting spirit. We have to maintain this.\" ' ' '

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