Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn.ca. Good morning Kerry, I love your daily clarifications to help everyone understand better why some calls are made! My question is in regards of spearing. As you know by now, Milan Lucic speared Alexei Emelin in Game 3 - again! I understand that at times some calls be overlooked, but why is he continuously getting away with it? If there is video evidence, why nothing is done afterward to avoid any precedence to be set? My last question: is this not making the officials in a difficult position? Thank you very much for your time. Lyne Laurendeau Lyne: The act of spearing and butt-ending seldom result in a player suspension. Instead, a fine may be imposed (but not always as we have seen) by the Player Safety Committee. It would appear that players are utilizing both ends of their hockey stick on a more consistent basis in violation of rule 58 (butt-ending) and rule 62 (spearing). This season the following fines have been levied for these illegal acts: February 6, 2014: Alexei Emelin - Montreal Canadiens - Butt-ending Pascal Pelletier ($5,000)March 20, 2014: David Legwand - Detroit Red Wings - Butt-ending Evgeni Malkin ($5,000)April 13, 2014: Scott Hartnell - Philadelphia Flyers - Spearing Brett Bellemore ($5,000)April 18, 2014: Milan Lucic - Boston Bruins -Spearing Danny DeKeyser ($5,000)April 25, 2014: Ryan Garbutt - Dallas Stars - Spearing Corey Perry ($1,474.36) You also might recall in the Ducks-Stars series on April 18th that Corey Perry was given a "slashing" minor when he "speared" Jamie Benn at 7:25 of the first period. Perry remained in the game as a result the "slashing" assessment and then scored an unassisted goal at 16:15 of the second in a 3-2 Anaheim win. Milan Lucic was also guilty of an undetected backdoor spear motion on Alexei Emelin in a game March 24. Neither of these incidents resulted in a fine. Beyond the non-call in the Bruins-Habs game the other night, no disciplinary action or fine will result from Lucics latest spear on Emelin. It should also be noted that Emelin was guilty of cross-checking on the play and was not penalized for the infraction as well. Fouls can be missed in the fast pace of the game. There is obvious reluctance on the part of the referees to call "spearing" for what it is due to the severity of the penalty that they must impose under the rule. Only when contact is significant, as in the Ryan Garbutt spear on Corry Perry, will we see the accurate call made. Perrys action on Jamie Benn was no less a spearing motion than Garbutts, but due to lesser degree of contact (deemed to be minimal by the ref) the infraction was called slashing. It is not the referees job to interpret the relative value of the rule or base their assessment on the degree of contact (or non contact) when a spearing motion is delivered. That however is exactly what is being done. Under rule 62, the referee is empowered (and expected) to assess a double minor is imposed when a player spears an opponent and does not make contact. A major and game misconduct is to be assessed on a player who spears an opponent (makes contact). When I attended my first NHL training camp for officials as a 20-year-old aspiring referee in 1972 we went through every rule in the book during daily classroom sessions. The rule book wasnt all that thick back then and the referee had the option of assessing a minor or major penalty for spearing based on the degree of contact. Wanting to understand the difference between the two applications I approached veteran referee Lloyd Gilmour for advice. I asked Gilmour what constituted the difference between a minor or major penalty for spearing. Without so much as a wink, Lloyd said, "Kid, if you see the spear go in its two minutes; if the stick comes out the players back call it five!" Perhaps the veteran advice was a little tongue-in- cheek but in reality not all that far off from the application we might be seeing now. Lyne, it is my opinion that there should be a fine imposed for every instance of spearing and butt-ending; regardless of the degree of contact or whether a penalty was imposed by the referee. Both are dangerous and cheap acts. Further to this, the referees must be directed to call the action of spearing and butt-ending for what they are and not place their personal value on the degree of contact made with the point or end of a players stick. It is the referees that are putting themselves in a "difficult position" by either ignoring the infraction or calling it by any other terminology than what it is. Penalty enforcement and fines would result in higher standards of player accountability and act as a stronger deterrent against these unwanted acts from being committed. Jameson Taillon Jersey . "I met her, I think, a week ago. We went to a Norwood hockey store and picked her out some gear. Bill Mazeroski Jersey . Tony Parker had 33 points and nine assists and San Antonio never trailed in a resounding 116-92 victory over Portland, bullying the younger Trail Blazers in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals. http://www.piratesrookiestore.com/Pirate...rsey/.Steamboat Ski Resort contends Steamboat Springs, Colorado has long been known as Ski Town, U.S.A., and claims in a new lawsuit that Salt Lake tourism officials violated their trademark when they rolled out the Ski City marketing campaign last month. Colin Moran Jersey .Y. -- Dwane Casey admitted hed been concerned about his young Raptors team who had zero experience playing in close-out games -- what awaited them with the vastly-experienced Brooklyn Nets, and how theyd react. Felipe Vazquez Jersey . First, Ivan Nova decided to have season-ending Tommy John elbow surgery. Then Michael Pineda was suspended for 10 games for using pine tar.CLEVELAND -- Justin Mastersons health is in serious doubt. The Indians playoff chances are just as iffy. Masterson was pulled from his start in the second inning with soreness in his left side and Clevelands hitters stayed in a collective slump Monday night with a 7-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles, one of the teams the Indians are scrapping with for the AL wild card. Masterson felt tightness in his side in the first inning, and after applying a heat ointment between innings, Clevelands All-Star ace took the mound in the second thinking he would be able to continue. But after a few pitches, his outing was done -- and its possible his season could be over as well. "It just tightened up on me," Masterson (14-10) said. "I went out to throw and it was like, Oh, boy. I couldnt get through a pitch. I was trying to sink em in there, but it wasnt going to work." Masterson will undergo an MRI and other tests Tuesday. Those results could determine whether the Indians will continue to battle for one of two playoff spots. "Hopefully its nothing serious," All-Star second baseman Jason Kipnis said. "Definitely love to have the big fella out there for us. Hes our ace." Bud Norris (10-10) stayed unbeaten as a starter with Baltimore and Nate McLouth homered and had three RBIs as the Orioles moved 1 1/2 games ahead of the Indians in the wild-card standings. Norris allowed one run -- a homer to Kipnis in the seventh -- and four hits in seven innings. The right-hander improved to 4-0 in seven starts with the Orioles, who acquired him at the July 31 trading deadline from Houston. Matt Wieters hit a two-run homer in the ninth and Brian Roberts drove in two runs for the Orioles, who didnt take any satisfaction in not having to face Masterson for more than two innings. "You hate to see that," McLouth said. "I feel really bad for him. He can go through stretches of a game where hes so dominant. It does make a difference." Masterson said its possible he could only miss a few days and that some rest will help. However, he also realizes the tests could reveal something more significant. "Its not the best-case scenario," he said. "So if it is any more serious than I think it is, we have some good guys in place that can do a lot of work. Were hoping things will be all right. We have a lot of guys coming up who can help out and do a good job. "I think youre going to see the guys really battle over the next 25 games that we got. "Thats going to show up whether Im here or not." With just one month left, the Indians arent going to take any chances with Masterson, their leader in wins, innings and just about everything else. "Its hard to quantify," Indians manager Terry Francona said when asked about Mastersons value. "Hes our best pitcher. But when things dont go your way, you can either feell sorry for yourselves or you can find a way to shine.dddddddddddd I hope that we are able to come back, whether it takes everybody in the bullpen or guys on the bench, keep fighting. "Thats the best way to do it." After dropping two of three in Boston and New York, the Orioles, who staggered through a 12-14 August, arrived in Cleveland needing to string some wins together. "I knew that schedule was going to be a challenge," manager Buck Showalter said before the game. "Were .500 in our last 10 games. Is it half full or half empty?" Norris provided some more optimism, striking out eight and keeping his record unblemished in seven starts since joining Baltimore. He allowed just one hit through five innings, and picked Michael Brantley off second in the second. The Indians are sliding in the wrong direction. They went 1-5 on a trip to Atlanta and Detroit, only salvaging the finale Sunday thanks to a ninth-inning grand slam by Mike Aviles to beat the Tigers. Masterson initially showed discomfort while working to Wieters leading off the second. He grimaced and flared his elbow at his side, a motion that sent Francona to the mound accompanied by a trainer. The right-hander stayed in the game, but after allowing a single to Wieters, he threw an 87 mph fastball to Nick Markakis and paused. Catcher Carlos Santana headed to the mound and shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera immediately waved toward the dugout, bringing Francona again. He took the ball from Masterson, who dejectedly walked off the field and then disgustedly tossed a cup of water in the dugout before heading to the clubhouse. "There wasnt any pull or anything like that that Im aware of," Masterson said. "Were going to get a few more things checked out over the next couple days." Preston Guilmet replaced Masterson and gave up a single to Markakis. With one out, McLouth hit an apparent RBI double to centre. However, the Indians won an appeal that Markakis missed second base, and under rule 10.05, McLouth was not awarded a hit on the play because it was a forceout. After Guilmet walked No. 9 hitter Alexi Casilla, Roberts hit a two-run double to make it 3-0. NOTES: Indians RHP Corey Kluber, sidelined since Aug. 6 with a sprained middle finger, will pitch in relief Friday after Scott Kazmir starts against the Mets. Kluber pitched a simulated game Monday, and because he hasnt pitched in some time, the Indians want to be conservative with him. Also, the club is concerned about overworking Kazmir. "I think it has a chance to help us win, help both pitchers and help the bullpen," Francona said. ... Indians OF Ryan Raburn is expected to be activated Tuesday after being sidelined with a pulled calf muscle. ... With his next homer, Hardy will become the fourth active shortstop and ninth since 1901 to record three or more seasons with 25 or more homers. 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