SOELDEN, Austria - World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher sent a clear message to his rivals for the mens overall title on the opening day of the season, winning a giant slalom with a massive 1.58-second margin on Sunday.On a sunny national holiday, the Austrians winning run was loudly cheered by his home crowd, which was stunned just two minutes earlier when Olympic and world GS champion Ted Ligety faltered before ending up in 10th, more than three seconds behind Hirscher.Its important for the Austrians to win here in Soelden, said Hirscher, the first home winner of the traditional season-opening race since Hermann Maier in 2005.I was very nervous and it was far from easy, I couldnt believe the margin, Hirscher said. All the pressure on my shoulders has fallen off now — for the next two hours.Hirscher held on to his first-run lead to finish in an aggregate 2 minutes, 28.09 seconds and beat Fritz Dopfer of Germany by 1.58. Alexis Pinturault of France was 2.06 behind in third, with Austrian veteran Benjamin Raich another 0.01 back in fourth.Ligety was second after the opening leg. He was still 0.40 faster over then leader Pinturault at the final split of his second run but the American came off the racing line approaching the final flat section of the course, which before the race he described as chunky in places but for the most part its a nice surface.I did some powder skiing, Ligety said. There is 40 gates you can do that on and there is five gates you absolutely cant do that on ... it cost me a good couple of seconds for sure.It was Ligetys worst result in Soelden. On his debut in 2005, he finished eighth and he had made the podium every year since, including wins in the past three years.Its more bad luck than anything else, Ligety said. Its no tactical issue, there is no technical issue. The skis are fine and ice has always been an advantage for me. I am not really worried about my skiing.Ligety and Hirscher were tied for the top spot in last seasons GS standings with the title being awarded to Ligety as the American had won more races.Hirscher said the disappointing run by his main rival hadnt changed his approach to the final run.I heard it but I didnt know where he made the mistake, Hirscher said. Before the second run I had already decided to go all-in. So my tactics had already been planned.Hirschers victory gave Austria a perfect start to the new season after Anna Fenninger shared the win with American teenager Mikaela Shiffrin in Saturdays womens GS.Hirscher earned his 24th career win and 10th in GS, making him only the seventh male skier with 10 or more wins in the discipline.After new rules for size and shape of GS skis were enforced in 2012, Hirscher trailer Soelden winner Ligety by 3.12 seconds. The American continued to dominate the discipline, but Hirscher has been catching up.We did a lot of development on the skis, the Austrian said. We have been testing new bindings and new plates. Its starting to pay off.While Ligety failed to live up to his billing as a contender for the overall title, Pinturault earned his 23rd career podium.The Frenchman, who was third in the overall rankings last year, switched his ski supplier in the off-season.I am really happy, it was a big test, Pinturault said. The first time I skied on ice with my new equipment. Now I can be more confident and push harder and harder. I will fight (for the overall title). It could be a nice winter.Meanwhile, Dopfer had his fifth top-three finish but is yet to win a World Cup race.I always try to get to my limits, the German said. That went really well today. I cant say what I should do different to win a race.The race was attended by 15,000 spectators, though many missed out on the first run as the only mountain road up the glacier had to be temporarily closed after a fire truck crashed and blocked the way.In clear, sunny conditions the course featured bumpy spots that caused problems for many racers.Olympic super-G champion Kjetil Jansrud of Norway came 3.52 back in 15th, while 2011 overall champion Ivica Kostelic of Croatia struggled all the way down before finishing 5.78 seconds behind and missing out on the second run.Hannes Reichelt, competing in his first race since winning the downhill in Kitzbuehel in January, straddled a gate and failed to finish.Several top contenders, including Aksel Lund Svindal, Bode Miller and Felix Neureuther, sat out the race with injuries.Toronto native Phil Brown was the only Canadian to qualify for the second run. He finished 21st overall.The mens World Cup continues with a slalom in Levi, Finland, on Nov. 16. . If Vettel wins at Suzuka on Sunday, and his nearest rival Fernando Alonso finishes worse than eighth, the German driver will join his compatriot Michael Schumacher and Argentine Juan-Manuel Fangio as the only men to win four consecutive titles. . "We cannot stay the same way the whole season long," said Reyes. "This is not acceptable. Something needs to change because were a better team than what were showing right now. Its a long season and we just need to continue to push." Its been a frustrating week for the ballclub.
http://www.officialknicksfanstore.com/k ... ks-jersey/. Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. .com) - James Harden needed just seven made field goals to drop 35 points on the Philadelphia 76ers, leading the Houston Rockets to a 104-93 win on Monday. . The Bulls seem to be getting along fine without him. D.J. Augustin scored 27 points in a start for Kirk Hinrich and Taj Gibson matched a career high with 26 filling in for Carlos Boozer as the Bulls improved to 7-2 since trading the popular Deng with a 98-87 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.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! Hi Kerry, In Saturday nights game between the Canadiens and Flyers, there was a shot from PK Subban at the point that went wide and was stuck in the side of the net forcing a whistle. At this point, Montreal was on a power play and up 2-0 in the game. My question is, why did the face-off after this whistle stay in the Flyers end? If a shot from a Canadiens player goes over the glass or onto the back of the net and is blown dead, the face-off should come outside, shouldnt it? I am just wondering how this case is different as it did not touch a Flyers player before becoming lost in the side of the net. This was a very pivotal point in the game as the Canadiens scored shortly after the next draw which remained in the Flyers zone, putting the game pretty much out of reach. Thanks for taking the time to answer my e-mail and I look forward to your response. Brett WalkerMelita, MB Brett, You are correct in your understanding and interpretation of Rule 85 - Puck Out of Bounds. The ensuing face-off should have been conducted on the neutral zone spot nearest to the Flyers blue line once the puck became lodged under the protective netting skirt directly off the shot by PK Subban (which was not deflected by a Flyers player or goalie Ray Emery). Im giving the game officials a free pass on this one as a result of some miscommunication they apparently received during the video review process from the situation room. You need to give them a pass this time around as well! First, you need to understand the variations in the rule that could apply in this situation. The overriding premise regarding face-off location when a puck goes out of bounds or becomes unplayable is to provide the team at fault with the least amount of territorial advantage. An unplayable puck is one that becomes lodged in the netting on the outside of either goal. This understanding is verified in Rule 85.5 - "Should an attacking player cause the puck to go out of play or become unplayable in the attacking zone, the face-off shall take place at a neutral zone face-off spot or at a face-off spot in the zone from which the puck left the ice, whichever is less advantageous to the attacking team. For a puck that is unplayablle due to being lodged in the netting or as a result of it being frozen between opposing players, the resulting face-off shall be at either of the adjacent face-off spots unless in the opinion of the Referee, the stoppage was caused by the attacking team, in which case the resulting face-off shall be conducted in the neutral zone…" PK Subban clearly caused the stoppage of play in this situation.dddddddddddd (An exception to this rule is when the puck deflects off the goal post or crossbar, when cause by either team, either shot directly or deflected off any player or official, the face-off is always to be conducted in that end zone at the nearest face-off spot. Rule 85.1) The next logical question we ask is why the face-off remained in the Flyers end zone following video review and a lengthy conference between the Officials to determine puck drop location? We need to look no further than the explanation posted on the NHL Situation Room blog which states: "At 4:42 of the third period in the Flyers/Canadiens game, video review determined that P.K. Subbans shot entered through the side of the net. No goal Montreal." In looking at the replay, it is clear that the puck did not enter the net but was trapped on the outside of the mesh between the protective skirting. As a result of the Situation Room written explanation, it is only logical to assume that Referee Eric Furlatt would have been informed that the shot entered through the side of the net! Furlatt would communicate this information to his colleagues on the ice during their conference. Given this flawed information, the correct face-off location rule application (oxymoron) would be found in a portion of Rule 85.2 that states; "Should the puck go under the goal either from behind or the side or through the mesh from behind or the side, the ensuing face-off should take place at the nearest face-off spot in the zone nearest to the location where the play was stopped." That location would be in the Flyers end zone to the right of Ray Emery! Whatever the reason Brett, the incorrect face-off location resulted once PK Subban caused the stoppage of play in the attacking zone when his direct shot became caught in the outside netting and rendered unplayable. It would appear to have been lost somewhere in the communication. ' ' '
