Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn. Mark Fields Jersey .ca. Kerry, I just witnessed the hit by John Moore on Dale Weise in Game 5 - how was that different than the hit that Brandon Prust landed on Derek Stepan? Stepan sustained a broken jaw ... Weise sustained a headache! Should the same rule book call have been made on both hits? Rick Rick: The primary difference between these two illegal hits is that the head of Dale Weise was the "main point of contact" delivered from the shoulder of John Moore in Tuesday nights game and as such, fell under the parameters and language of rule 48 - illegal check to the head. Brandon Prust, on the other hand, initiated shoulder contact to the upper chest/shoulder of Derek Stepan and as the Habs player drove up and through the hit, "significant contact" resulted to the head of Stepan. No penalty was assessed to Prust on this play (missed by all four officials) but since this illegal check was very late, blindside in nature and excessive in the degree of violence asserted, a major and game misconduct should have resulted for interference (rule 56.4/.5). While it might sound like "wordsmithing" (main point of contact versus significant contact), these are important distinctions for the referee to judge when assessing the appropriate penalty. Regardless of the terminology or rule application, both Prust and Moore deserved to be expelled from the game pending any subsequent decision by the Player Safety Committee. While both players were able to finish the game, it was learned the following day that Derek Stepan required surgery to repair a fractured jaw. Brandon Prust was suspended by the Player Safety Committee for a whapping two games! The full extent of head trauma symptoms is not always immediate so it might be premature to determine if Dale Weise is suffering anything beyond a headache. There is no provision for the referee(s) to assess a major and game misconduct penalty under rule 48 (minor or match only). Based on the degree of impact to the head of Weise, it was correctly determined by the referees that John Moore deserved a match penalty (deliberate attempt to injure) and was immediately suspended. Moore has been suspended two games following his hearing with the P.S.C. this afternoon. To your point, Rick, there was an option, albeit ever so slight, for the referee(s) to impose a match penalty against Brandon Prust if first, they saw the play and second, deemed the illegal hit on Stepan was for no other purpose than to attempt to or deliberately injure the Ranger player. Given all the components of Prusts attack and delivery of the hit (excessively late, blindside and high) it would be reasonable to suspect it was not a normal "finish of a check" but instead designed to inflict punishment or even attempt to injure Stepan. Knowing the thinking habits of the referees, they would much prefer to impose the major and game misconduct option contained in the interference rule (or charging) and then let the P.S.C. rule under supplementary discipline if they deemed a suspension is warranted to the player as opposed to applying a match penalty that results in an immediate suspension and hearing. That option was not available to them last night when John Moore checked Dale Weise in the head beyond just two minutes worth! Based on the seriousness and potential consequences of any illegal contact to the head, I offer the following recommendations, Rick: - There should absolutely be no minor penalty option once the referee deems an illegal check to the head has been committed.- Only a major and game misconduct or match penalty should be assessed for an illegal check to the head. - Eliminate the fine line margin of tolerance and thinking that exists between "main point of contact" to the head for the referees to determine an illegal check to the head and for suspension purpose. If contact to the head of an opponent is "significant" through an elevated hit or otherwise, it should be judged as an illegal check to the head. Place the onus on the player making the hit to do so responsibly. - Keep players skates on the ice through a hit.- Hold players accountable for their poor decisions that result in significant contact to an opponents head with meaningful suspensions; beyond just two games.- Rule on the violence of the act and not the result; namely the presence or extent of injury. Carl Granderson Jersey .Y. -- As if the worst start in franchise history isnt bad enough, Buffalo Sabres President Ted Black braced his teams win-starved fans for potentially more tough times. Jimmy Graham Jersey .com) - James Harden had 32 points, including a tying layup late in regulation, and the Houston Rockets scored eight of their 13 points in overtime at the foul line to beat the Memphis Grizzlies 117-111 on Friday night. http://www.customsaintsjersey.com/custom-joe-federspiel-jersey-large-872e.html . Hes had three top-10 results this season and feels ready to put it all together and finally hoist a trophy at the top level.BALTIMORE - The Detroit Tigers starting pitchers in the first three games of the AL Division Series have a combined 329 wins, three Cy Young Awards and 35 games of post-season experience.Baltimores starters carry less impressive credentials, yet they dont necessarily have to outpitch their Detroit counterparts for the Orioles to advance.All they have to do is keep it close, then hand the baseball over to one of the best bullpens in major leagues.Detroit (90-72) didnt win as many games as the Orioles (96-66), who ran away with the AL East title to earn home-field advantage in the best-of-five series that begins Thursday. But the AL Central-champion Tigers have been installed as a slight favourite a€” mainly because of their formidable starting rotation.Max Scherzer (18-5, 3.15 ERA) starts on Thursday, followed by Justin Verlander (15-12, 4.54) and David Price (15-12, 3.26). That also happens to be a list of the last three AL Cy Young winners.Advantage, Detroit?I think we all know what it looks like on paper, Orioles manager Buck Showalter said Wednesday. But theres a lot of things that look a certain way on paper for us that we were able to overcome.Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman (13-6, 3.34 ERA) will make his first foray into the post-season in the opener. Although Showalter declined the announced his starters for Friday and Sunday, they will likely be Wei-Yin Chen (16-6, 3.54) and Miguel Gonzalez (10-9, 3.23), each of whom has pitched in exactly one playoff game.If playoff experience and Cy Young Awards mean anything, then Detroit has a decent chance to reach the AL Championship Series for a fourth straight year.Pitching. Thats what wins ballgames, Price said. If we put up zeroes early, that kind of gives our offence a chance to kind of settle into the game. They know they dont have to put up a three- or four-spot because were down.But if a game is close in the seventh inning, the Orioles like their chances.Weve got a good bullpen, we have a good starting staff, said closer Zach Britton, who finished with 37 saves. Anytime theres a close game, were confident we can pull it out, and weve done that a lot this year.Britton (1.65 ERA) usually woorks the ninth inning. Marcus Davenport Jersey. Andrew Miller (1.35 ERA in 23 games with Baltimore) or Darren ODay (1.70) take care of the eighth, following hard-throwing Tommy Hunter.Back in May, when Detroit last played the Orioles, Hunter (3-2, 2.97 ERA) was the closer and Miller was still pitching for Boston.Much has changed.Britton has really established himself since we last saw Baltimore. Hes one of the best closers in the game, Detroit manager Brad Ausmus said. They acquired Andrew Miller, who obviously had a track record coming in. And now youve got a closer who can pitch the sixth or seventh inning. Thats not a bad position to be in if youre the Orioles. Their bullpen has done a good job, and thats part of the reason theyve been so successful.Ausmus has been calling upon Joba Chamberlain to work the eighth and Joe Nathan to get the final three outs. The duo experienced mixed results during the regular season a€” Chamberlain was 2-5 with four blown saves and a 3.57 ERA, and Nathan finished 5-4 with seven blown saves and a lofty 4.81 ERA.Advantage Baltimore?Britton, from what Ive seen, his balls moving all over the place, Tigers outfielder Torii Hunter said. Theyve got a nice little bullpen over there. Weve seen some dirty pitching (in the AL Central), so I dont think it will be new, but it will be tough. Those guys are good.Scherzer, meanwhile, hasnt faced the Orioles since June 17, 2013. He knows this much: Baltimore led the majors with 211 home runs, so the right-hander had better be careful.A team that swings the bat like that, theyre dangerous, he said. Theyre dangerous one through nine. Thats something I know going into the start. They need to have a good game plan against me and I need to have a good game plan against them.In other news, Ausmus declined to name his 25-man roster in part because of the status of injured outfielder Rajai Davis, who has pelvic strain.Rajai came in today, felt much better, but weve got to get past the point of his making some baseball moves in terms of running, exploding out of the box and taking swings, which he hasnt done yet, said Ausmus, who has until 10 a.m. Thursday to make his final decision. ' ' '