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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. cheap jerseys .ca. Hi Kerry, Always a pleasure; really enjoy your column. Keep up the good work. In the Bruins/Panthers game Tuesday with less than 10 seconds to play, Tim Thomas - clearly frustrated - took a swipe at Soderberg with his stick. He was assessed a two-minute minor for high sticking. I am curious as to why this was not a match penalty and perhaps even a suspendable action. It seems to me had a skater done a similar action, as blatant as it was, it would be deemed as such. I believe this would fall under Rule 60.4, but am not certain. Can you please comment on this play and explain what the ref/linesman saw (or failed to see), to deem it a mere minor high sticking penalty? Thank you (I was trying to work the word qualm in there somewhere, since I know you like it so much)! Dear Anonymous Friend: I have no qualms in telling you that Tim Thomas deserved a match penalty under Rule 60.4 for the one-handed tomahawk swing with his heavy goalie stick paddle to the neck of Bruins forward Carl Soderberg. Regardless of the score or time in the game, or whether the blow was in retaliation for Thomas being contacted on the shoulder by Soderbergs stick inside the blue paint, a match penalty was warranted based solely on the degree of force and especially the location of the blow with the goal stick to the neck of Soderberg. While no apparent injury resulted to Soderberg this was a very dangerous play that should be addressed by the Player Safety Committee. At the very least, a substantial fine should be levied to Tim Thomas even if that Committee does not deem the stick swing to be worthy of a suspension. It is acknowledged in the rules that a goalkeepers unique equipment is not only designed to provide protection and to stop the puck but that when used in an altercation can do considerable damage to an opponent. For that reason, Rule 51.3 provides that a match penalty must be assessed if, in the judgment of the referee, a goalkeeper uses his blocking glove to punch an opponent in the head or face in an attempt to deliberately injure an opponent. The manner in which Tim Thomas used his heavy goalie stick last night falls well within the spirit and intent of the match penalty rule. The reason the referee most likely assessed only a minor penalty on this stick swing was based on his obstructed view from behind the goal line against the end boards. I continually state this not the best location to view plays in and around the goal crease; as a matter of fact it is often the worst position for a referee to stand! I want you to look at the replay clip again; only this time through the eyes of the referee that made the call from behind the goal line. Tim Thomas swing was very quick and accelerated in real-time but most importantly, the ref, from his position, was looking directly through Brian Campbells back as Thomas stick made contact with Soderberg. Campbell then wrestled Soderberg to the ice so both players were now directly in the referees sight line. There was also a minor log jam of players out in front of the net (especially Tom Gilbert and Chris Kelly) that could have prevented the linesmen and the other referee from seeing the full force of Tim Thomas stick blow to Soderbergs neck. As quickly as it can happen, the full effect of a play can be missed or greatly diminished without the best sightline. I have no qualms admitting it, friend! cheap nfl jerseys . The deal, filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, calls for the NCAA to toughen return-to-play rules for players who receive head blows and create a $70 million fund to pay for thousands of current and former athletes to undergo testing to determine whether they suffered brain trauma while playing football and other contact sports. cheap jerseys from china . PAUL, Minn.SEATTLE -- Jacoby Ellsbury provided the jolt New Yorks sluggish offence needed, even if the Yankees still are struggling to score runs. Ellsbury lined an RBI single on a 0-2 pitch to score Derek Jeter with the go ahead run in the eighth inning, and the Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners 3-2 on Tuesday night. "This type of game is the type of win that has been eluding us," Ellsbury said. "Hopefully, if we can win these types of games well be in great shape. Its always nice to go out there and throw a bunch of runs up there and make it easy on the pitching staff, but yeah, you have very good hitters, its just a matter of time before it really starts clicking." Ellsbury extended his hitting streak to 14 games -- the longest for a Yankees player since Jeters 19-game streak in 2012 -- and gave New York just its fourth win in the last 11 games. Ellsburys hit came after Jeters ground-rule double off Seattle starter Hisashi Iwakuma. Scoring the winning run capped a big night for Jeter, one that started with festivities. The Mariners honoured Jeter during a pregame ceremony in his final visit to the city where he made his major league debut in 1995. Jeter was given a seat from the old Kingdome and an engraved watch from former New York teammate Robinson Cano as part of his farewell tour gifts. Jeter then went out and had two hits and scored two runs. He also scored on Carlos Beltrans RBI double in the first. "Anytime you can start rallies those are big things," New York manager Joe Girardi said. "And you get yourself into scoring position with less than two outs, those are big things." Scoring runs has become a problem for the Yankees. They havent scored more than four runs since May 28 against St. Louis. While thats a small sample, its enough that Girardi was questioned before the game about his concern over the lack of offence. They didnt get a lot against Iwakuma (4-3), but the Yankees came through in key moments. Beltran had the first big hit with his opposite-field double to score Jeter. That was followed by Brian McCanns RBI infield single that handed starter Vidal Nuno a 2-0 lead before he toook the mound. wholesale jerseys. Then it was Ellsburys turn in the eighth, lining the two-strike pitch from Charlie Furbush for a single to take the lead. "I feel like my at-bats are better than April. I dont know where the numbers stand but I feel a little better up there," Ellsbury said. "But the big thing is we won tonight, not really extending a hit streak or anything like that. Nuno and the Yankees bullpen made sure what offence they received was enough. A rainout on Monday in Kansas City ruined a potential matchup between former teammates in Japan, Iwakuma and Masahiro Tanaka. Instead, Tanaka was pushed back to Wednesday. Nuno went 5 2/3 innings and was in line for the victory before Dellin Betances problems in the seventh. Nuno struck out two and allowed only Cole Gillespies RBI single to score Cano in the first. Nuno did escape trouble in the second and fourth innings when Seattle had runners in scoring position with two outs and were unable to get the runner home. Michael Saunders came inches from a three-run homer in the fourth, but his drive to the deepest point of Safeco Field was caught at the wall by Ellsbury. "He did what he had to do," Girardi said. "I thought he did pretty well. He got us to the sixth inning." Seattle pulled even at 2-2 in the seventh off Betances when Dustin Ackley singled just over the head of Brian Roberts to score Mike Zunino. "He throws so hard and is so long you just got to see it and hit it," Ackley said of facing Betances. "Luckily I was able to sneak it over the infield." But the Yankees responded immediately in the eighth and instead of blowing the lead, Betances (4-0) got credited with the victory. David Robertson pitched the ninth for his 15th save. Notes: Yankees RHP Shawn Kelley is expected to rejoin the club on Wednesday. Kelleys been out with a back strain. ... Seattle signed second-round pick OF Gareth Morgan on Tuesday. Morgan took part in batting practice with the team before the game. ... Seattle RHP Taijuan Walker (shoulder) was returned from his rehab assignment and optioned to Triple-A Tacoma.cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
