Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn. Anthony Averett Ravens Jersey .ca! Kerry, In the Canadiens/Oilers game Thursday night - third period - Lars Eller crosschecked Taylor Hall directly from behind, face first into the boards. And it was face first - Halls face was the first part of his body to make contact with the boards. He did not get his hands up in time to protect himself (and I watched it several times, frame by frame). But no major penalty? Seriously? In minor hockey that is at least a major and a game, and if you assessed a match, you would be justified. Whats the rationale? Because there was no blood or teeth lost? The non-call is particularly frustrating in comparison to the Mike Fisher hit on Cody Franson on Thursday night, which was not as bad but resulted in a major penalty and a game misconduct because Franson was bleeding all over the place - but only because his visor cut him (and if we want to get into players being driven into stanchions - Chara on Pacioretty is the standard, and there was no penalty on that one). Whats the explanation and wheres the consistency? Cole MacKay Cole: I totally concur with your assessment on this play and the resulting penalty should have been a major and game misconduct (rule 43—Checking from Behind) to Lars Eller for this dangerous hit. A check from behind is a check delivered on a player who is not aware of the impending hit, therefore unable to protect himself, and contact is made on the back part of the body. Any player who cross-checks, pushes or charges from behind an opponent who is unable to protect or defend himself shall be assessed a major penalty and game misconduct. Note also that when a player intentionally turns his body to create contact with his back, no penalty shall be assessed. While Taylor Hall did turn slightly toward the side boards after gaining possession of the puck it would be unreasonable to suggest that Hall did so intentionally to expose his back for the purpose of creating contact as described in rule 43.1. Lars Eller on the other hand travelled from his location in front of the Montreal goal and had sufficient time to alter both his approach and method of contact (cross-check directly from behind to opponents back) once Taylor Hall faced the boards and was placed in a vulnerable position. The visual picture presented by Taylor Halls snap/arch of his back and face-plant into the boards following the cross-check by Eller clearly fall within the language and application of rule 43—Check from Behind and should have been penalized as such. I am not suggesting that there should be any further discipline to Lars Eller since we should recognize that while the hit was illegal Eller didnt utilize "excessive force" through the hit worthy of a suspension. The correct call (major and game misconduct boarding) was made last night when Mike Fisher pushed Cody Franson from behind creating some additional velocity at the last instance and causing Franson to contact the curved glass/stanchion at the end of the players bench. While Fransons visible injury most definitely had relevance to the application of a major penalty and game misconduct as prescribed in the boarding rule, the fact remains that a dangerous situation resulted from the unexpected push from behind by Fisher. Your call for "consistency" is well taken, Cole. It is imperative that the Referees differentiate between varying degrees of boarding, checks from behind and illegal checks to the head but more importantly not have any reluctance in assessing major penalties when warranted. Too many player suspensions have been imposed by the Player Safety Committee when a minor penalty or worse yet no penalty at all were assessed on the play. Brad Stuarts three-game suspension for what was ruled upon as an illegal check to the head of New York Ranger Rick Nash is the most recent example of this. That will likely change today, pending the outcome of an in-person hearing called for Patrick Kaleta of Buffalo (suspected illegal check to the head of Jack Johnson, Columbus) and a hearing for Vancouvers Alexander Edler (suspected illegal head check on Tomas Hertl, San Jose). Neither Kaleta nor Edler were penalized on the plays in question. I see one of the problems the Referees created for themselves and the game was the elimination of a major penalty (due to Refs reluctance to impose it) when an illegal check to the head is called. Rule 48 provides for a minor penalty or a match penalty. The major and game misconduct provisions were eliminated in this rule. So whenever an illegal check to the head is identified in a game at best it results in a minor penalty and the player remains in the game. Upon further review that player could ultimately be suspended for three plus games pending the outcome of a hearing. Putting consistency aside, for something as serious as the protection of a players head I think the rule and the application by many of the Refs is far too soft and short sighted. Hayden Hurst Jersey . Monta Ellis had 30 points and nine assists, Nowitzki was another of seven Dallas players in double figures with 11 points and the Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Lakers 123-104 Tuesday night. Mark Andrews Ravens Jersey . New York City FC introduced Frank Lampard in Brooklyn on Thursday after signing the 36-year-old former Chelsea midfielder to a two-year contract. http://www.cheapravensshoponline.com/Youth-Willie-Snead-IV-Ravens-Jersey/ . The Suns termed Fridays surgery by team doctor Thomas Carter a success. No timetable was given for Bledsoes return but the team said in a news release that he "will pursue a possible return to action during the second half" of the season.BOSTON -- A little infusion of youth and a solid start by Jon Lester kept the Boston Red Sox rolling along. Lester pitched seven shutout innings and Brock Holt drove in two runs with one of his major league record-tying four doubles to lift the Red Sox to their seventh straight win, completing a three-game sweep over the reeling Tampa Bay Rays with a 4-0 victory on Sunday. Bostons streak follows a 10-game skid, its longest in 20 years. The Red Sox said that matches a major league record for consecutive wins after a double-digit losing stretch, according to research by the Elias Sports Bureau. The 1989 Detroit Tigers did it after losing 12 in a row, and the 1942 Pittsburgh Pirates also did it after dropping 10 straight. Rookies Garin Cecchini and Adam Hassen collected their first major league hits to go along with fellow rookie Holts big day. "Its great. It kind of makes you reminisce of all the good firsts and just how excited theyll be," Lester said. "Thats the cool part about this game, to see these guys come up and doing this stuff to help out the team." Holt tied a major league record for doubles in a single game one day after he hit his first major league homer in Saturday nights win. Cecchini added an RBI double for his first major league hit. "Were tapping into organization depth and guys are ready to contribute," Boston manager John Farrell said. "It is a special day. I dont know the last time two Red Sox players have gotten their first major league hits in a game." Evan Longoria had a pair of singles for the Rays, who dropped their season-high sixth straight. Tampa Bay owns the ALs worst record at 23-34. Holt has sparked Bostons offence by moving into the leadoff spot, which had been a weakness since Jacoby Ellsbury left via free agency during the off-season, signing with the New York Yankees. "Its a fun day," Holt said. "Anytime you can go out and do something like that, I had a little bit of luck on my side, too." Lester (6-6) allowed four hits, while striking out 12 and walking one. It was the left-handers 19th career double-digit strikeout game, coming after he struck out a career-best 15 against the Oakland Athletics on May 3. The Rays looked punchless for the third straight game. "Its been kind of ongoing for a little while now," Tampa Bay second baseman Logan Forsythe said. "A team doesnt stay stagnant for that long. Were going to get hot, were going to get going soon. Itts just a matter of time. Jaleel Scott Ravens Jersey. . Were putting the work in. Now we just wait and see when it happens, and when it happens, just roll with it." Tampa Bay was held to three runs in the series and has scored two or fewer runs in nine of its past 14 games, losing eight of those. "I really believe that runs there," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. "Its really pretty much rooted in one component of our game -- were just not a consistent offensive team right now." Edward Mujica and Koji Uehara each pitched an inning to complete the five-hit shutout. For the second straight day, the clubs were cordial to each other on the field after three Boston managers and a pitcher were ejected in Fridays game. Rays starter David Price hit David Ortiz in the first inning and Mike Carp later in the fourth. The Carp one triggered the benches to clear, the second time in less than a week the two teams had a scrum. Last Sunday in Tropicana Field, players in Bostons dugout started yelling at Yunel Escobar when he stole third with the Rays up by five runs late. The Red Sox broke ahead 3-0 in the fourth against Erik Bedard (2-4). Hassan singled to centre for his first hit after Jonny Gomes singled leading off. Jackie Bradley Jr. then walked before Jonathan Herrera had a sacrifice fly, making it 1-0. Holt followed with his two-run double. Bedard lasted 4 2-3 innings, allowing three runs and five hits, walking four and striking out four. NOTES: Victor Martinez was the most recent player to get four doubles in a game, coming on June 1, 2010, while with the Red Sox. ... The last pair of Red Sox rookies to get their first major league hits in a game were Steve Dillard and Andy Merchant on Sept. 28, 1975. ... Boston 2B Dustin Pedroia was back in the lineup after missing Saturday with a sore right hand, but his day was cut short when he was ejected at the end of the third by home plate umpire D.J. Reyburn. ... Tampa Bay placed OF Wil Myers on the 15-day DL before the game and recalled 1B/OF Jerry Sands from Triple-A Durham. Sands went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. ... Rays SS Escobar was out of the starting lineup for the second straight game with a tight left quad, but he pinch hit in the seventh and flied to centre. ... It was Lesters 233rd career start, moving him into fifth on the clubs all-time list. ... Before the game, the Red Sox called up 3B Cecchini from Triple-A Pawtucket and optioned RHP Alex Wilson. Cheap Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Braves Jerseys Cheap Orioles Jerseys Cheap Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Cubs Jerseys Cheap White Sox Jerseys Cheap Reds Jerseys Cheap Indians Jerseys Cheap Rockies Jerseys Cheap Tigers Jerseys Cheap Astros Jerseys Cheap Royals Jerseys Cheap Angels Jerseys Cheap Dodgers Jerseys Cheap Marlins Jerseys ' ' '