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. 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. Justin Pugh Cardinals Jersey .com) - Robert Upshaw made a putback jumper to put 17th-ranked Washington ahead with 1:27 remaining in the game and the Huskies held on to beat Eastern Washington 81-77 on Sunday. Benson Mayowa Jersey .com) - No Sidney Crosby, no problem. http://www.azcardinalsfanspro.com/Black-...ey.html?cat=925. They started shooting the puck. Joe Pavelski had a hat trick to move into a tie for second in the NHL in goals and the Sharks beat Philadelphia 7-3 Thursday night in the first game for both teams following the Olympic break. Brice Butler Cardinals Jersey . -- Athletics manager Bob Melvin is already starting to run out of superlatives to describe Scott Kazmir. Custom Arizona Cardinals Jerseys . - For years William Gay kept quiet.Milwaukee, WI (SportsNetwork.com) - Kemba Walker poured in 27 points to lead the resurgent Charlotte Hornets to a fourth straight victory, a 108-101 decision over the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center. Five other Charlotte players finished in double figures as the Hornets extended their season-best win streak, which followed a 2-14 stretch. Gerald Henderson chipped in 20 points, Al Jefferson had 12 along with nine rebounds and Marvin Williams went 4-of-5 from 3-point range in a 12-point effort off the bench. Theyre a good team, said Charlotte coach Steve Clifford. They beat us up- and-down the floor, which weve been good at, but we are able to stay in there and make the plays we needed. The Bucks dropped a seventh straight game to Charlotte despite a season-high 34 points from Brandon Knight. Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 12 and 11, respectively, in the loss. A strong finish carried the Hornets to this latest win. Charlotte was clinging to a one-point lead late in the third quarter before embarking on an 11-2 run, during which Williams buried a key triple and Walker netted the final four points to stake his team to an 86-76 advantage with 1:20 remaining in the period. Knight got the Bucks back in it, however, accounting for all of Milwaukees points during an 8-1 surge that cut an 11-point deficit with under three minutes left down to four. His trey with 25.9 seconds to go pulled the Bucks within 103-99. Milwaukee came up empty on its next two possessions, though, and Henderson and Walker sealed the result by hitting 5-of-66 free throws in the closing moments.dddddddddddd We didnt have any rhythm offensively, said Bucks head coach Jason Kidd. We turned the ball over, we missed a lot of shots. Everytime we tried to make a run we turned it over and when you do that, it puts you behind the 8-ball and thats what happened tonight. Charlotte was up by six just over three minutes into the second quarter when the Bucks put together their best run of the night, a 14-2 sequence led by the bench that opened up a 49-43 lead with 4:57 remaining in the half. The Hornets answered with six straight to pull even, but Knights triple 2.4 seconds prior to the intermission had Milwaukee ahead 56-54 at the break. An 8-0 push capped by a Henderson jumper gave Charlotte a 71-64 edge midway through the third quarter. 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