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. Hi Kerry, So Shawn Thornton gets a slap on the wrist for the water squirting incident - a childish, unsportsmanlike and potentially dangerous act, but players can get two minutes for spraying the goalie with snow when sometimes inadvertently just trying to stop quickly? In your opinion, should the NHL ever consider taking a more serious look at such actions and add them as an infraction in the rule book? Mike Cimba Mike: The Player Safety Committee should be commended for their swift action to impose the maximum permitted fine under the CBA ($2,820.52) against Shawn Thornton for his childish, television viewer unsightly, unsportsmanlike and potentially dangerous act of water bottle squirting at PK Subban. I am quite sure an incident of this nature will never happen again given the maximum allowable supplementary discipline and public humiliation that has been imposed against Thornton (sic sarcasm intended). Now that this bug on the visor of Subban has been wiped clean and severely dealt with, perhaps the PSC, Hockey Operations and the Officiating Department can focus their attention on more important issues that have been continually exposed to this point in the playoffs? For starters Mike, additional rules dont need to written until the ones that already exist are more consistently enforced; or even just applied. If the referee determined that Subban had been legitimately interfered with by a spray from a water bottle in Thorntons hands (Heaven forbid) the ref could have applied a broad interpretation to rule 56.2: a minor penalty shall be imposed on any identifiable player on the players bench or penalty bench who, by means of his stick or his body, interferes with the movements of the puck or any opponent on the ice during the progress of the play (Thorntons hands are attached to his body). Likewise, the same rule 75 - unsportsmanlike conduct, that is applied (sometimes) against a player deemed guilty of deliberately snow-showering a goalie could also be imposed in the case of a player deliberately squirting water in the face of his opponent. With the multitude of infractions that are being let go throughout extended portions of these games I cant imagine any referee imposing a penalty for this squirt of liquid. With regard to player safety however, it appears to be a serious and unwanted element of the game. So too was diving/embellishment once upon a time. Embellishment was deemed a plague within the game and language was added to rule 64.3 that provided authority for Hockey Operations to review game videos and assess fines to players who dive or embellish a fall or a reaction, or who feign injury regardless if a penalty was called on the ice. The punishment for the first such offence during the season will result in a warning letter being sent to the player. The second such incident will result in a $1,000 fine. For the third such incident in the season, the player shall be suspended for one game, pending a telephone conversation with the Director of Hockey Operations. For subsequent violations in the same season, the players suspension shall double (i.e. first suspension - one game, second suspension - two games, third suspension - four games, etc.) When was the last time you read that a player had been fined for diving/embellishment let alone suspended? I have seen some known offenders embellish as many as three times in one game during these playoffs. Im not suggesting for a second that players should be suspended for the letter of the law that this rule empowers Hockey Operations. What I am suggesting is to focus on the real important issues beyond a squirt from a water bottle. Lets start with an acceptable and expected standard of enforcement from the referees throughout a playoff game that is more consistent with those employed during the regular season. The rulebook has not changed from the regular season but the application and standard of enforcement by most of the referees clearly has. Powerful stick slashes that broke a players stick was almost always called; as the playoffs progress they are seldom called and have even resulted in goals being scored. Obvious infractions have been let go; major infractions have been let go or deemed to be a minor penalty. The latest such example was the major boarding infraction by Brandon Bollig on Keith Ballard that was deemed to be a minor penalty by the referee on the ice. Bollig was subsequently and correctly suspended for two games by the Player Safety Committee for this dangerous hit that injured Ballard. As far as I am concerned they got in wrong by not responding in kind to the chicken-wing elbow delivered by Jared Spurgeon of the Wild to the head of Marcus Kruger. Kruger was pulling his upper body back and up after shooting the puck on goal. Spurgeon was going to miss his intended check and responded by leaving his skates and extending his elbow to initiate contact with the head of Kruger. Kruger staggered of the ice and went directly to be evaluated in the quiet of the Hawks dressing room. Spearing incidents and howdy-dos between the legs have on occasion resulted in the assessment of penalties. Sidney Crosby provided a pretty good howdy to Dominic Moore that went un-penalized and resulted in a scrum at the end of the second period in yesterdays Rangers 3-1 win over the Penguins. In an attempt to keep all things in perspective, it would appear that a squirt off the bench with a water bottle will result in the maximum allowable fine being levied by the Player Safety Committee. Perhaps just a letter to Thornton would have sufficed; all things being equal? Tracy Mcgrady Jersey . Off-Season Game Plan looks at the Capitals possible summer plans, with the understanding that its tough to plot a direction without a general manager or head coach around which to set those expectations. Custom Atlanta Hawks Jerseys . Thaddeus Young scored seven of his 25 points in the fourth quarter, Evan Turner added 22 points, and the 76ers hung on for their first road win since Nov. 1, beating the depleted Los Angeles Lakers 111-104 on Sunday night. http://www.authenticbasketballshophawks....b-hawks-jersey/. After the loss, White refused to make good on the bet, instead offering Hoyt tickets to a Bears game. Jeremy Lin Jersey .com) - Sporting Kansas City announced Thursday that club has signed former on-loan midfielder Jimmy Medranda to a permanent contract from Colombian side Deportivo Pereira. Vince Carter Jersey .ca. Mr. Fraser, I think everyone would like to hear your opinion on what sort of suspension Zac Rinaldo should get. His comment after the game of I changed the whole game, man.NEW YORK -- The way Jesse Hahn pitched, his dad expected a winning effort. The RBI single? Well, that was something new. "Im surprised he didnt run to third base," Fred Hahn said outside the clubhouse. "Hes not much of a hitter." His son earned his first big league victory Saturday, throwing one-hit ball for six innings and contributing a soft single as the San Diego Padres stopped a five-game losing streak, beating the New York Mets 5-0. "Its awesome," the rookie said. "I was very relaxed. I stayed focused and stayed calm." Hahn combined with the San Diego bullpen on a two-hitter. The Mets managed Ruben Tejadas infield hit leading off the first and Lucas Dudas bloop single down the left field line in the ninth. Promoted from Double-A to make his second appearance in the majors, Hahn (1-1) struck out seven and walked three in the longest outing of his professional career. The 24-year-old righty escaped his biggest jam by fanning Matt den Dekker with the bases loaded to end the fourth. At 6-foot-5 with socks pulled up nearly to his knees, Hahn won in front of his father, sister and about 20 family members and friends. They came from Groton, Connecticut, where his high school teammate was injured Mets ace Matt Harvey. "I wanted all of those people to be here. Theyve supported me my whole life," Hahn said. Hahn missed the 2011 season after having Tommy John surgery, and Harvey watched from the dugout while he rehabs from the same procedure. Hahn said Harvey sent him a text message before the game wishing him good luck. After Hahn was done, Harvey texted congratulations. "I know he had a lot of people here from Connecticut," Padres manager Bud Black said, "and he responded." Hahn made his major league debut June 3 against Pittsburgh, and was chased after giving up two home runs in 3 2-3 innings. This time, Hahn was effective with his arm and bat. Hahn blooped an opposite-field single to right with two outs in the fourth for his first hit since high school. Cameron Maybin easily scored, and was trotting back to the dugout when plate umpire Dan Bellino flipped him Hahns souvenir. &"Not your prototypical line drive, bullet, missile you like for your first hit," Black kidded.dddddddddddd Maybin later showed off some alert baserunning, winding up all the way at third on an infield grounder. Yonder Alonso broke from third on the bouncer and eventually was tagged out, but he prolonged the rundown long enough to allow Maybin to keep running. Chase Headley hit a solo homer, an RBI single and scored twice. Alonso hit two doubles. Padres relievers Dale Thayer, Joaquin Benoit and Huston Street each pitched an inning, sending the Mets to their ninth loss in 11 games. "The way they threw the ball, mixed in with some poor at-bats, and they were able to throw up a lot of zeros," Mets star David Wright said. Zack Wheeler (2-7) remained winless in eight home starts since last August. Hes averaging an NL-high 18 pitches per inning, and threw 100 in five busy innings. San Diego began the day last in the majors in batting average and runs, and just three starters were hitting over .215. The Padres totalled seven runs during their recent skid. This was the first time in 14 games they scored more than four runs in a game. NOTES: Hahn was promoted from Double-A San Antonio and LHP Troy Patton was put on the DL. ... There was a brief delay in the ninth after a panel of padding fell off the left-field wall in foul territory. ... Padres RF Will Venable made a diving catch on Dudas sinking liner to end the first with runners at the corners. ... The Mets Chris Young struck out four times. ... San Diego RHP Ian Kennedy (5-7, 3.63) faces RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (3-0, 2.95) in Sundays series finale. ... Rapper 50 Cent gave a concert at Citi Field after the game. Last month, the lefty threw out the first pitch before a Mets game and his toss sailed far, far wide of the plate and wound up on blooper reels. There were plenty of wrappers on the field during the game, too, blown around by gusting winds. ... Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona presented Army Lt. Col. Thomas Sullivan with a flag that was flown over Citi Field during an on-field ceremony in the middle of the third inning. 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