Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn. Josh Hader Jersey .ca! Good Day Kerry, I have been involved with hockey for 52 years. I grew up and continue to live in the town of Forest, Ontario. Your father used to coach the AAA midgets in Sarnia when I was a Juvenile hockey player in Forest. The midgets used to play in the Juvenile league. We had some great games back then. No one worried about getting hurt. It was a great time. I also used to play hockey with Terry Gregson at the University of Western Ontario. He lived on the same floor in residence. Enough of my rambling. If your schedule permits I would be interested in your thoughts on this. I was sitting at the dinner table tonight having supper and watching the hockey highlights from the Boston/Tampa Bay game and witnessed the Steven Stamkos incident. It was obvious from what I saw that Dougie Hamilton took out Stamkoss legs. The result is a broken keg. Was there a penalty? Should there have been one? Thank you,Allan J. Wilson --- Hi Kerry, like your column. I watched the Steven Stamkos injury play today - on the replay it looked like Dougie Hamilton gave him a quick shot to the back or quick cross-check causing Stamkos to propel uncontrolled into the goal post - possibly Im wrong but it sure looked that way on the three replays I watched. The referee appeared to be in a very good position to see this but called no penalty. Im curious if you saw it the same and since there no penalty but a serious injury might the league look at this or given the perceived or real bias towards the Bruins and a few other teams is this likely to go unpunished whether I am correct or not? JB Allan and JB:Witnessing the snap of Steven Stamkos tibia against the goal post brought an immediate sick feeling to my stomach no differently than watching Pat Peake, the Washington Capitals first pick in the 91 Amateur Draft (14th overall), shatter his right heel in 14 places as he raced to negate an icing in a game on April 26, 1996 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Peake went airborne from just below the goal line after getting a nudge on the back of his skate from J.J. Daigneault. The tripping penalty I assessed to Daigneault on the play was of little consolation to the budding Caps star who was forced to retire from the game two years later following multiple surgeries at the tender age of 23. We can only hope that Stamkos will recover fully from the surgery he underwent on Tuesday following what I deem to be an unfortunate accident as a result of minor body contact exerted by Bruins talented young defenceman Dougie Hamilton. The fact that Stamkos did not have the puck and the contact or "nudge" was initiated by Hamilton which caused Stamkos to lose his footing, a minor penalty could have been called for interference. The location and extent of contact however was very difficult to ascertain even with slow-motion replay so it would be almost impossible for the Ref to determine interference had been committed as both players went hard to the net. With Hamilton jumping up on the play and racing toward the net Stamkos took the inside lane away with a solid back check. Hamilton is seen approaching from behind and makes a downward chop in an attempt to eliminate Stamkos stick for a potential rebound. The two players were almost hip to hip as Stamkos applied the brakes and started to snow plough near the top of the goal crease. Hamilton nudged Stamkos on the hip or pushed off as the two players were in contact with one another causing the Lightning superstar to lose his footing and crash into the goal post. The result was sickening for sure as Stamkos sustained a serious injury. Aside from Steven Stamkos, I would bet there isnt anyone that feels worse about the injury than Dougie Hamilton. There was no malicious intent or aggressive physical contact demonstrated by Hamilton on this play. Incidental contact and battles for position like this happen frequently throughout every game that can result in a loss of balance and fall to one or both players. I see this as one of those unfortunate times. It was great to reconnect with you Allan but todays NHL is played at an unbelievably fast pace where injuries such as this do occur and we werent susceptible to as young players. I am sure you have followed Steven Stamkos from his Junior "A" days with the Sarnia Sting and know what a truly great person he is beyond just his superstar status as a hockey player. We wish Steven Stamkos the very best for a full and speedy recovery. Eric Thames Jersey .S. -- Carl-Antoine Delisle snapped a tie in the third period with his second goal of the game to lead the Tigres past Cape Breton 4-3 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action Wednesday as Victoriaville won its eighth in a row. Cecil Cooper Jersey . - Olympic champion Marielle Thompson accomplished her mission of defending her skicross World Cup title at Nakiska Ski Area on Saturday. http://www.brewersteamshop.com/Brewers-Orlando-Arcia-Kids-Jersey/ . He spent the rest of the game making up for lost playing time. Green scored a career-high 36 points, including eight in overtime, and the Phoenix Suns beat Denver 112-107 on Tuesday night to hand the Nuggets their fifth consecutive loss.TORONTO – Its been a bad week for a good bullpen. Starter Drew Hutchison left after six innings with a 3-2 lead, only to watch as three Blue Jays relievers collapsed in the seventh, leading to five Baltimore runs. The Orioles wouldnt look back; in fact they would tack on, winning the game 11-4 and the series, two out of three. It was Brett Cecils turn on Thursday night. Having not allowed a run in eight-and-two-thirds innings of work this season, Cecil entered with one out and a runner on second in the seventh. He walked Nick Markakis and, after a double steal, intentionally walked Nelson Cruz. Chris Davis slapped a two-run single to left field to give Baltimore the lead. After an Adam Jones RBI double, Cecils night was over. In the end, he faced four hitters, each of whom reached base and each of whom scored. “I didnt feel like I had a good feel for anything,” said Cecil. “I was pulling my cutters and curveballs were up. Not as sharp. I thought I made a good pitch to Davis, hit the glove, hit it where (Dioner Navarro) had it and it was two or three inches off the plate. Terrible swing, but he did exactly what he was supposed to with the shift on, just a soft ground ball.” A week ago Thursday in Minneapolis, Steve Delabar, Sergio Santos and J.A. Happ cratered in the eighth inning, walking a historic eight hitters while allowing six runs on just one hit and three wild pitches. The ordeal turned a 5-3 Toronto lead into a 9-5 deficit. Aaron Loup walked the bases loaded in the sixth inning of Sundays game in Cleveland. A David Murphy bases-clearing double later and the Jays 4-2 lead was erased. The Indians didnt look back in a 6-4 victory. On Wednesday, Todd Redmond was rocked trying to protect a 6-3 lead in the fifth. In Redmonds defence, he inherited a bases loaded, none out situation against the top of the Orioles lineup. Baltimore scored six times, total, in the inning and won the game 10-8. The bullpens overall numbers arent pretty in the last seven games: 23 2/3 innings pitched, 22 earned runs, 23 hits and 24 walks. Manager John Gibbons isnt panicking. “I dont think it snowballs, at least it hasnt yet,” he said. “There are going to be some blips every now and then. I still think our bullpen stacks up as good as anybody out there. We have some key go-to guys. We had a chance to close it down there, at least get out of that inning, Davis snuck that ball through. But, no, Im not really worried about the bullpen.” Theres already chatter, less than a month into the season, about whether the bullpen is fraying under the weight of the demand on its arms. Blue Jays starters dont get deep into games often enough. Factor in Toronto relievers threw 552 2/3 innings last season, third most in baseball, and at some point, fatigue will become a problem. “I believe in that,” said Gibbons. “Over time you look at it, a lot of times its year to year. Guys that have good years and theyre used a lot one year, its usually somewhat of an off year the next year and then they bounce back. Thats kind of, just generally, the way baseball goes. Bullpens get used a lot, I dont care whether youre good or bad, in this day and age, its just baseball because its mainly a lot of one-inning guys nowadays, specialists, so they get used a lot, but thats just the way it goes. You have to be durable down there and you have to take your slumps down there sometimes. But it can definitely catch up with you, but its too early in the season to think that has anything to do with it.” One reason for optimism: its been a different guy getting beat each night. Delabar and Santos in Minneapolis, Loup against the Indians, Redmond one night against Baltimore and Cecil the next. The collective result has been abysmal of late but the individual issues have been one offs. The Jays had better hope these are, in fact, one-offs. Otherwise, a trends begun which threatens a relatively hopeful start to the year. GIBBONS CONSIDERS SIX-MAN ROTATION Drew Hutchisons six innings of work on Thursday night marked just the 10th time in 22 games a Blue Jays starter went that long. The starting rotations troubling early trend, combined with this weeks post-game admissions by R.A. Dickey and Dustin McGowan to feeling fatigue by the fifth or sixth inning, has manager John Gibbons considering his options with the schedule about to get busy. Afteer Mondays off day, before a three-game series in Kansas City, Toronto will have only one off until June 2. Travis Shaw Jersey. A six-man rotation could be implemented. “Weve even talked about because May, its jammed up, creating our own off day, maybe just spot-starting someone in there; maybe Happ or something,” said Gibbons. The first date a sixth man would be used is the Sunday, May 3 finale of a three-game series in Pittsburgh. J.A. Happ isnt the only option. Marcus Stroman, who along with Aaron Sanchez is the organizations top pitching prospect, is off to a fine start for Triple-A Buffalo. In three starts hes posted a 2.18 ERA and 26 strikeouts against six walks in 20 2/3 innings. Stromans hit total is high, hes allowed 22, but most of those runners arent scoring. Gibbons mused that a six-man rotation could be implemented on multiple occasions leading up to the All-Star Break. This is a reaction to Wednesdays comments by McGowan, who admitted publicly to feeling fatigued in the fifth inning when, with a 6-3 lead, he walked Ryan Flaherty, gave up a single to Jonathan Schoop and hit David Lough with a pitch. McGowan was lifted for Todd Redmond, who promptly coughed up the lead. McGowan hadnt complained about fatigue to Gibbons or anyone else. His comments to the assembled media were the first the manager had heard about it, which led to a conversation between the two in Gibbonss office on Thursday. “I was curious what he had to say,” said manager John Gibbons. “He says he feels great. I guess he just answered questions or something (Wednesday) night brutally honest. Hell make his next start and well see what happens. “The thing is, I think his stamina is fine,” continued Gibbons. “He said he ran out of gas, but if you leave him in there, I guarantee you he can throw 90 to 100 pitches. Its just do you leave him in there or not. Thats my decision.” The Blue Jays continue to monitor McGowan and Brandon Morrow closely. While their respective situations are different, both have extensive injury histories. McGowan insists his arm is okay, which offers hope that his fatigue may subside if his body can adjust to the rigours of pitching every fifth day. Remember, a stomach virus shortened McGowans spring. Whats more, he hasnt been a regular starting pitcher in six years. “Weve told him, if somethings bothering you, it doesnt feel right in your arm simply because of what youve been through, let us know and hes guaranteed hell let us know,” said Gibbons. “But I think, (Wednesday) night, he was just brutally honest with you. And I kind of like that.” GIBBONS TALKS PINEDA AND PINE TAR Blue Jays manager John Gibbons believes his Red Sox counterpart, John Farrell, had no choice but to ask the umpires to check Yankees starter Michael Pineda for an illegal substance in the game between Boston and New York on Wednesday night. “You almost had to,” said Gibbons. “If you dont ask, everybodys looking at you. Youd catch heat for that.” Pineda was found with pine tar on the right side of his neck. He was ejected and on Thursday he was given a 10-game suspension. Gibbons asked the umpires to check the inside of Orioles starter Miguel Gonzalezs glove in the fifth inning of Tuesday nights game. They found nothing. “Well, you want to make sure if you do it, youre right and we werent right,” said Gibbons. “So were 0-4 with appeals and 0-1 on checking on the pitcher. Its got to get better, doesnt it?” Its generally accepted that pitchers use foreign substances, typically sprays, to improve their grip on the baseball. Gibbons believes the Pineda incident, especially considering the same substance was thought to be on his hand in a start earlier this season, is different. “I still have a hard time believing pine tar (is) not making the ball do something,” said Gibbons. “Its for your grip but its a heavier substance, so its something thats going to affect, if the wind hits that thing, its got to do something.” FRIENDLY TRAFFIC REMINDER If youre coming to Rogers Centre this weekend to see the Blue Jays take on the Red Sox, keep in mind the Gardiner Expressway closes for spring maintenance at 10 oclock Friday night. It doesnt reopen until 12-noon on Sunday. 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