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. 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. Alec Burks Jersey . The game was the first of two international friendlies that Canada is playing during the international break, with the second game against Slovenia set for Tuesday in Celje. Canada looked uncomfortable defensively throughout the game, and every free kick that came into Canadas penalty box looked like ending up in the back of the net. Ricky Rubio Jersey . The Toronto Maple Leafs forward and Nashville Predators goaltender highlighted Mondays waiver transactions, with Calgarys Chuck Kobasew and Edmontons Philip Larsen also being placed on waivers. http://www.cheapjazzjerseys.info/ . Thats what he did over the past 2 1/2 years with the Washington Wizards. Wittmans approach helped turn the Wizards from pushover to playoff winners. Donovan Mitchell Jersey . Duhamel, from Lively, Ont., and Radford, from Balmertown, Ont., were second with 77.01 points, just behind Olympic bronze medallists Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany. The four-time world champs lead at 79. Karl Malone Jersey . The Senators return from a lengthy layoff caused by Wednesdays attack on Parliament Hill to host the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night.Daniel Sturridge is pushing for a start for Liverpool as they prepare to host Stoke in the Premier League on Sunday. Victory for Liverpool will see them leap above Stoke in the Premier League table, who sit one place above the Reds in eighth heading into the weekend.Stoke saw their chances of qualifying for the Europa League dealt a blow last week as they threw away a two-goal lead to draw at home against Swansea, and Mark Hughes will know that anything less than three points for his side at Anfield will likely end their chances. Emre Can is challenged by Ibrahim Afellay Team newsLiverpool captain Jordan Henderson has been ruled out for six to eight weeks with a knee injury and is a major doubt for Euro 2016.Sturridge and Roberto Firmino are pushing for starting places after brief substitute appearances against Borussia Dortmund but goalscorer at Signal Iduna Park Divock Origi could well keep his place.Stoke have Ryan Shawcross and Xherdan Shaqiri back available for Sundays Barclays Premier League clash with Liverpool at Anfield, but Glenn Whelan and Marko Arnautovic are doubts.Skipper Shawcross and winger Shaqiri are each set for their first appearance in three games after recovering from back and thigh problems respectively.Midfielder Whelan sustained a back issue of his own when getting out of his car, forcing him off in Saturdays 2-2 draw with Swansea, a match which also saw Arnautovic pick up a knee injury. Goalkeeper Jakob Haugaard, who made his Barclays Premier League debut in that contest, is set to remain in the first XI. Stokes Xherdan Shaqiri is set for a return Opta statsLiverpool have won four of their last five meetings against Stoke, with the other game being a 6-1 loss on the final day of last season.Stokes 1-0 win against Liverpool in the League Cup semi-final 2nd leg in January ended a run of 36 games without winning at Anfield (D5 L31). They went out of the competition on penalties however.Each of the three meetings this season between the two sides has ended 1-0 to the away team.dddddddddddd Jurgen Klopp could see his side leap above Stoke Sturridge has scored three times and assisted three goals in six Premier League games against Stoke.At Anfield, Liverpool have suffered just one defeat in their last eight Premier League games (W3 D4).The Potters are now unbeaten in three on the road in the top-flight (W2 D1) after losing each of their three away league games before that.Stoke have netted a joint-league-high eight goals in the first 15 minutes of their games this season (level with Bournemouth and Man City), which equates to an outright high 22% of their total goal haul.With seven goals and five assists in the league this season, Philippe Coutinho has already matched his best-ever goal involvement tally in a single campaign (also 12 in 13/14).Arnautovic has had a hand in 15 goals this season in the top-flight (scored 10, assists five), the most of any Stoke player in a single Premier League campaign. Marko Arnautovic has had a hand in 15 goals this season Mersons predictionsLiverpool in the top four is out of the question for me now. Stoke are a funny team. They play good football, but theyre 2-0 up and cruising and then get pegged back for a draw. I saw them get well beaten by Southampton the other week at home, but then theyll beat teams. Theyre a bit hot and cold at the moment and havent got that consistency, but they are still a good team.PAUL PREDICTS: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds 7/1)BettingLiverpool are 3/5 favourites with Sky Bet to secure all three points against Stoke (9/2) with the draw available at 3/1. The Anfield outfit have been pushed out to 20/1 to secure a top four finish but look a more solid bet at 5/4 to finish in the top six with the Potters 33/1 outsiders. Four of the last five meetings in all competitions have finished 1-0 and Sky Bet are offering odds of 5/1 for the hosts to win by that margin and 12/1 for Mark Hughes men. 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