first shot count when Giordanos slapshot hit the sh

Echoes of replacement refs.One item in the labour agreement the NFL struck with its game officials in 2012 after the lockout called for all-star crews working the post-season.The NFL Referees Association insisted on it. The league was so eager to get the regulars back on the field after the replacement officials debacle that it agreed.After the uproar surrounding one specific non-call in the Detroit-Dallas wild-card game Sunday — and other calls made or ignored over the weekend — lots of people are wondering why the NFL gave in.Generally, before 2004 the highest-rated full crews worked playoff games and the Super Bowl. That changed to a hybrid system in 04 that allowed for eliminating lower-rated officials on some crews from working the post-season.Moving to the current all-star approach allows for officials rated highest at each position by supervisors to get the premium assignments. But it also can rob the crews working the critical January and February games of the cohesion developed through a full preseason and regular season.Regardless, until the CBA with the officials union runs out after next years post-season, the all-star format is in effect.So how are these officials evaluated?—Officiating supervisors rate performances of on-field referees, umpires, linesmen and judges every week on every play. All of the supervisors are former on-field officials.The crewmembers get to see those weekly reports.—Officials get an accuracy percentage on their calls for the entire season, which takes into account the calls made and missed, and calls that should have been made, says Dean Blandino, director of NFL officiating.—Then the officials are grouped into three tiers based on that accuracy percentage of their calls. Those in Tier 1 are eligible for playoff assignments, including the Super Bowl and the conference championships.Those in Tier 2 will fill in the blanks and handle some of the other playoff games.If an official is in Tier 3, he gets no post-season assignments and could be up for employment review, Blandino says.Seniority is not taken into account.—Once placed in a tier, the officials are divided up based on other criteria. That includes decisiveness, clarity of explanations, control of the game, physical fitness, and several other categories.The officials who rate best overall are chosen to work the post-season.—No crew will work more than two games. The Super Bowl crew will handle one of this weekends games, meaning that Pete Morellis group that worked the Lions-Cowboys contest will not do the big game.For the Super Bowl crew, we want them to work one game, and the divisional round is best, Blandino says. Its not that long a break after the season or before the Super Bowl. It fits right in the middle.Often, several of the officiating crew members will have worked a game or more during the regular season, perhaps even much of the schedule. For Lions-Cowboys, Blandino says four of the officials had been at the same regular-season game, but none had worked with Morelli in 2014.As for which particular games the crews get in the first two rounds of the playoffs, Blandino says the NFL will look at the matchups and the two teams and tendencies, and then look at the officials and if they fit for certain matchups.Could the assignment system be changed once the CBA with the officials union concludes?Its definitely something to look at after the 2015 season, Blandino says, but at this point there is no strong opinion one way or the other.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Vapormax Pas Cher .C. - The housecleaning continues for the B. Basket Vapormax Pas Cher .com) - Ryan Johansens creative moves and hometown appeal highlighted Team Folignos successful night at the NHL All- Star Skills Competition. http://www.paschervapormax.fr/. After a first half in which he thought "the lid was on the basket," the Toronto Raptors coach watched his squad mount a second half surge to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91. Nike Vapormax Promo . City, fielding a depleted team having already qualified, was twice pegged back by the plucky Czech champions but substitute Negredo tapped home in the 78th minute and Dzekos header made sure of victory in the 89th. The result kept City three points behind Bayern Munich ahead of their meeting in Germany in two weeks. Nike Vapormax Destockage . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil.CALGARY -- Mikael Backlund scored twice and added an assist Wednesday night as the Calgary Flames jumped out to a 4-0 first period lead and cruised to a 7-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Up 2-0, Backlund set up Cammalleri in the slot for a power-play goal at 11:28. The quick shot past Jonas Hiller made it three goals on five shots and resulted in coach Bruce Boudreau pulling him from the game, replacing him with Frederik Andersen. The change did not change the games momentum, however. Two minutes later, Backlund scored his 15th goal of the season on a wrist shot that slipped past the rookie goaltender. Backlund added his second of the night 1:31 into the second period, this time shorthanded. Firing a wrist shot past Andersen as he broke in alone off the wing, it was the Flames second short-handed goal of the night and league-leading 11th of the season. Backlund has four of them, tying him for top spot with Bostons Brad Marchand and Tampa Bays Tyler Johnson. Mark Giordano, TJ Galiardi, Ladislav Smid and Corban Knight with his first NHL goal also scored for Calgary (26-33-7). The Flames scored more than five goals in a game for the first time this season. Andrew Cogliano with his 20th goal and Nick Bonino scored for Anaheim (43-16-7). Winless in their last four (0-2-2), the Ducks continue a three-game road trip Friday night in Colorado. Anaheim continues to lead the Pacific Division by two points over the San Jose Sharks but the Ducks squander the game in hand that they held. The Flames entered the night tied for the league-lead in one-goal games. The unusual blowoout offensively for the home side was embraced by the crowd announced at 19,829, who gave the team a boisterous standing ovation after the first and second periods and once again when the game ended.dddddddddddd Up 6-2, the crowd got one last treat when Knight, from nearby High River, scored his first NHL goal with 1:57 left in the game. There were signs early that it wasnt going to be Anaheims night. After peppering Flames rookie goalie Joni Ortio with a couple shots in the opening minute only to come away empty, Calgary made its first shot count when Giordanos slapshot hit the shaft of Kyle Palmieris stick and re-directed into the top corner on Hiller at 3:39. Bad luck for Anaheim was followed by some bad play. After Backlund was robbed on a two-on-one short-handed breakaway, the same penalty kill produced a three-on-one shortly after with Galiardi finishing off a neat set-up from Paul Byron at 7:10. Making his fifth start in a row, Ortio had 20 saves to improve to 3-3-0. In relief, Andersen finished with 16 saves. Hiller was tagged with the loss to fall to 26-10-6. Notes: Calgary LW Curtis Glencross (ankle) returned after missing 29 games. He played on a line with Galiardi and Brian McGrattan.. Anaheim D Ben Lovejoy (ill) did not play. Also scratched for the Ducks was LW Matt Beleskey.... It was only the third time this season the Flames have scored five goals in a game... The Ducks power play continues to slump. After going 0-for-2, Anaheim is 2-for-35 in its last 11 games... Calgary scored four goals in the first period for the first time since Feb. 13, 2013. ' ' '