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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.ca. Hello Kerry, In Tuesdays Stars/Maple Leafs game, Dallas is trying to come back. With 13:07 left, Jason Spezza, having obvious difficulties entering the offensive zone, actually puts himself offside! He skates into the zone while the puck is still out then brings the puck in. Not sure how the linemen missed this but adding injury to insult, a penalty is called on Stephane Robidas. My question is this: if the call for offside was made late and just as the ref calls the penalty, could the ref have changed his ruling and cancelled his call on Robidas? Thanks for all the great columns! Claude Gauthier Claude: The Linesman made the correct call when Jason Spezza legally carried the puck across the Toronto blue line even though Spezzas skates crossed the inside edge of the line well ahead of the puck. Rule 83.1 states: A player is on-side when either of his skates are in contact with, or on his own side of the line, at the instant the puck completely crosses the leading edge of the blue line regardless of the position of his stick. However, a player actually controlling the puck who shall cross the line ahead of the puck shall not be considered off-side, provided he had possession and control of the puck prior to his skates crossing the blue line. Spezza pulled the puck back with a stickhandle move that caused his skates to clearly enter the zone ahead of the puck. The key to this being deemed on-side is the fact that Spezza maintained complete possession and control of the puck through as he entered the attacking zone. Even if the puck was not in direct contact with Spezzas stick at the instant the puck crossed the leading edge, a normal stick-handle maneuver is considered possession and control. Further to this, if Spezza had somehow mishandled the puck through the stickhandle maneuver, which caused the puck to leave the attacking players immediate vicinity it would be deemed off-side once Spezza reacquired control of the puck and brought it across the line. This would also be true if the puck inadvertently jumped off the attackers stick (bad ice?) resulting in a loss of possession and control of the puck. Now that I have established that Spezza was on-side at the blue line, let me expand on your hypothetical question and bring it to reality. The very situation you described actually occurred in a game I worked in the Staples Center in Los Angeles. I described the play in this column previously but it bears repeating, especially since we recently saw a player placed in the penalty box for a minor penalty and was subsequently released after the two referees had a consultation (penalty cancelled). This took place a couple of games after a phantom penalty was called on Luke Glendening by the ref in the neutral zone when Caps goalie Braden Holtby tripped on his own when backing up to return to his crease. In my answer to that question I responded that the other referee and/or linesmen should have seen the play clearly and advised the neutral zone ref he was mistaken and no penalty should result. This is what took place in the game when I cancelled a penalty after I had raised my arm and stopped play. An LA Kings player was carrying the puck across the attacking blue line in the middle of the ice with a winger on his right side skating tight to the boards in front of the visiting players bench. The Kings right winger passed in very close proximity to the Linesman standing on the blue line. I followed 15 feet behind the play and on the opposite side of the ice to where the Linesman was positioned. As the puck was carried across the blue line my gut reaction was that the winger had jumped just ahead of the puck creating an off-side situation. I glanced at the linesman and he did not react as play was allowed to continue. The puck carrier continued straight into the attacking zone a good 10 to 15 feet beyond the blue line (high slot) when he was hooked off the puck. I raised my arm to call the obvious infraction. The puck was turned over quickly following the hook and as I killed the play the linesman blew his whistle simultaneously with mine. I approached the lineman and he advised me that the play was off-side at the blue line and he was slow to react and missed his mouth with the whistle on his initial attempt to stop play! Over 18,000 fans in Staples Center, both teams and the television viewing audience saw me raise my arm to call a penalty that never should have occurred if the linesman had blown his whistle once the off-side infraction took place. I made the quick decision to cancel the penalty call and eat crow if necessary. I advised Kings coach Terry Murray of my decision to withdraw the penalty and that his team would not be receiving the benefit of a power-play. Murray told me I couldnt cancel a penalty! In spite of the logic I presented it still didnt sit well with the Kings coach so I drew him a visual from the NFL to support my decision. I said, Terry, have you ever seen an NFL ref throw a flag for a penalty and then cancel the initial call by announcing it was an inadvertent flag? Terry nodded in agreement. I quickly followed up by saying, Tonight, for the first time in the NHL you have seen an inadvertent arm by the referee and there is no penalty on the play! That settled the debate. I clicked on the microphone at the penalty bench and announced, The play was off-side at the blue line. There is no penalty on the play. 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The individual wasnt authorized to comment and spoke to The Associated Press on Wednesday night on condition of anonymity. Donald Sterlings attorney, Maxwell Blecher, said a representative will be in court but wouldnt comment further. Representatives for Shelly Sterling and her attorney, Pierce ODonnell, declined comment. Its unclear what or if any specific incidents led to the decision to go to court Thursday. Neither party commeented and court papers were not filed.dddddddddddd Shelly Sterlings deal with Ballmer was struck after Donald Sterlings racist remarks to a girlfriend were recorded and publicized. The NBA moved to oust him as team owner, fined him $2.5 million and banned him for life. ODonnell said doctors determined the 80-year-old Donald Sterling was mentally "incapacitated" thereby making her sole administrator of the family trust, which owns the team, according to its terms. Donald Sterling is fighting that contention and her authority to sell. 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