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TORONTO - Bill McCreary admits he made hundreds and hundreds of mistakes in his career as an NHL referee. But one stands out.The Dallas Stars were in Los Angeles to play the Kings at the Great Western Forum. McCreary let a goal stand on a delayed penalty that shouldnt have counted, and coach Larry Robinson lost it.I look over at the L.A. bench and Larrys standing on the bench giving me the choke sign, McCreary recalled. So now I throw him out of the game and everything just snowballed from there.One problem: McCreary knew he was wrong. Despite 14 years in the league, his mental lapse cost the Kings a goal in a loss and Robinson $5,000.I shouldve known better, McCreary said in a recent phone interview. I learned to keep my whistle on my fingers and not in my mouth when youre working with two senior linesmen.Thats one of a handful of lessons McCreary learned during a career that included 1,737 regular-season games, a record 297 in the playoffs including another record 44 in the Stanley Cup final and three Olympic Games. On Monday hell be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2014 with Peter Forsberg, Dominik Hasek, Mike Modano, Rob Blake and the late Pat Burns.McCreary, who was elected in his first year of eligibility, will be the 16th official in the Hall of Fame.I think it has a lot to do with his performance on the ice as an official in the game over a real long period of time, NHL director of officiating Stephen Walkom said in a phone interview. I think in the modern era, Bill McCreary is synonymous with excellence in officiating. Hes just one of the greatest officials that the NHLs ever had.The Guelph, Ont., native said he refereed with two words in mind: fair and safe. They got him to seven straight Stanley Cup final series and eight overall under four different NHL management teams.The consistency part, thats what an official strives to be is consistent within himself, said McCreary, whos now a spokesman for Crown Royals Make the Right Call campaign to promote responsible drinking and an off-ice officiating manager. So I think that shows that that accomplishment was achieved.Referees are often the first people on the ice to get booed before a game and receive the brunt of criticism from players, coaches and wrath from fans. Somehow, McCreary earned respect all around.Walkom, who has worked on and off the ice with McCreary, said that has to do with confidence and trust. Blake cited communication skills.You could have legitimate conversations with (McCreary), Blake said in a phone interview. Theres some refs, even in a heated moment, youre never going to be able to have a conversation with a guy. But Billy was good that way.He was always willing to talk, it didnt matter if you were first year in the league or 15th year in the league. But he was fair. Hed give you the call and he explained about why you got the call. Thats kind of all players really ask for.Prior to McCrearys final NHL game in April 2011, then-Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau enjoyed the mutual respect the longtime referee cultivated.(He) didnt call all the piddly stuff unless it was that kind of game, or hed let stuff go and then hed come over and hed communicate with the coaches, Boudreau said. If anybody wants to be a good ref, all you have to do is learn how to communicate properly with the coaches and it makes it so much easier on everybody concerned.McCreary transcended eras, working a little over half his NHL career under the one-referee system and then the rest of it working with another on the ice at the same time. The 58-year-old conceded it changed his job immensely.(As one referee) it was your game, you were in charge of it and you may have been bad one night but at least you were bad in both ends of the ice, he said. At least you were consistently bad or you were consistently good or you were just consistent. When you went two referees, what you were trying to do is take two judgments of two men and get it as close as possible into one.Unlike baseball umpires, NHL officials dont travel in crews, which means McCreary worked with many other referees. Walkom called him a great role model to younger officials, and other colleagues glowed about how McCreary didnt bigfoot anyone because of his experience.He exuded confidence and left no doubt about who was in charge of the game, referee Dave Jackson said. He also helped mentor every young referee he worked with. You never went on the ice with Billy feeling subordinate, he built you up and made you feel like an equal partner.Early in his career and in important games, McCreary preferred to work alongside senior referees and linesmen because the respect between players and coaches and officials was built in. Later on, he relished the mentor role.It kept me young, it was fun, it was refreshing being with them all day long, McCreary said. It made me be a better person going to the gym every day with them. It also allowed me to mentor them a little bit and try to teach them things that had been handed down to me over time.McCreary first worked the Stanley Cup final in 1994, so that remains a pleasant memory. He also did the 1991 Canada Cup, Wayne Gretzkys final game and the 1998, 2002 and 2010 Olympics.Some seventh games in the Cup final and the gold-medal matchups between Canada and the U.S. in 2002 and 2010 are some of his most treasured accomplishments.It was the first time that a Canadian referee was allowed to referee the United States against Canada in a championship event, McCreary said. That was a big honour.That didnt happen by accident. Walkom praised McCrearys work ethic in games, no matter how big.Off the ice, it remained the same. During the 2004-05 lockout, McCreary picked up a job from a Guelph neighbour delivering, installing and building kitchen cabinets.When the raw material comes in the back door and you see the finished product go out sort of the front door, its a rewarding experience to know you were a part of it, McCreary said.McCreary joins fellow member of the Guelph Hockey Referees Association Ray Scapinello in the Hockey Hall of Fame.McCreary learned from him and the late John McCauley how to officiate at a high level for a long period of time.I think something I learned was to get respect you have to give respect, McCreary said. You always dont have to put your arm in the air and call a penalty, but you certainly have to let people know maybe why you didnt or maybe the next time why you will. Its a skill that, its hard to develop because its about gaining respect with the players and coaches and managers and it takes a lot of hard work. But I think its very vital to be successful.---Follow @SWhyno on TwitterNote to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version said George Ashley was in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Chuck Howley Jersey . - Pierre-Maxime Poudrier scored twice and added an assist, and Antoine Bibeau made 43 saves as the Val-dOr Foreur downed the Baie-Comeau Drakkar 6-3 on Sunday to force Game 7 in their Quebec Major Junior Hockey League final series. DeMarcus Ware Jersey . Pierre last November, only to watch St. Pierre leave the UFC octagon with his welterweight title belt and a split-decision victory. http://www.shoptheofficialcowboys.com/Elite-Michael-Irvin-Cowboys-Jersey/ . Jamies number grades given are out of five, with five being the best mark. Steve Mason, Philadelphia (4) - Mason was brilliant all night long with save after big save on Benoit Pouliot, Carl Hagelin and Derick Brassard. Deion Sanders Jersey .Gasol had 16 points and 13 rebounds, and the Bulls beat the winless Orlando Magic 98-90 on Tuesday night.Jimmy Butler led the Bulls with 21 points and Taj Gibson added 16 for Chicago, which finally pulled away in the final minutes of a game that was tied after three quarters. Tony Dorsett Jersey . The Wizards gave up two seldom-used players — forward Jan Vesely and point guard Eric Maynor. Vesely goes to the Nuggets, while Maynor gets shipped to the 76ers. Philadelphia receives two second-round draft picks, one from the Wizards in 2015 and one from the Nuggets in 2016.Anna Woolhouse is joined by Tamsin Greenway and Ama Agbeze to reflect on Loughborough Lightnings win over Team Northumbria. Agbeze was named player of the match after helping Loughborough to a 61-41 win and shares her thoughts on the game with Woolhouse and Greenway. 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