Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn. Pittsburgh Penguins Gear .ca. Hey Kerry, I was watching the NBC coverage of Sundays Canadiens-Rangers game, and Mike Milbury and Ed Olczyk went off on the Canadiens for over-selling and embellishing to sell calls. In the third period, Carl Hagelin hit Alexei Emelin with a high stick and Emelin went down like a ton of bricks. Embellishment? Probably, but it didnt change the fact that it was a high stick. Did the sell by Emelin negate the high stick and the official basically said, "play on?" Or was this just a missed call? Morgan,New York, NY Morgan: I believe the play that you are referring to occurred with 8:24 remaining in the third period and the score tied at two. Carl Hagelin attempted a dump-in shot from the centre red line. Alexei Emelin lowered his posture to execute an active stick sweep check and contacted the puck as Hegelin was in the act of shooting. Emelin was legitimately struck in the mouth area with the blade of Haglins stick on the follow-through of an attempted shot. Emelins reaction to rotate his body away from the stick contact, then fall and grab his mouth was reasonable and not an effort to embellish and draw a foul. A player is permitted accidental contact on an opponent if committed in a normal windup or follow through of a shooting motion. No penalty was warranted to Hagelin on this play. I concur with Mike Milbury and Eddie Os analysis with regard to obvious embellishment committed by PK Subban and Tomas Plekanec in the second period of Sunday nights game. Even though the stick of Rick Nash did catch Subban in the face the upward launch with both legs was not a natural reaction or fall from being struck in that manner. Plekanecs theatrical performance was the absolute worst when he threw his head back and grabbed at his face after the flat blade of Brian Boyles stick slapped nothing but shoulder pad! Even though Boyles stick did not quite fit the criteria of a "high stick (above the height of the opponents shoulders) it was used in a careless manner and could certainly result in a slashing penalty. Plekanecs embellishment was also worthy of a penalty that should have resulted in an on-ice numerical strength of four aside. Given Plekanecs blatant overreaction it could even been deemed a stand alone embellishment penalty if the ref wanted to send a clear message but I doubt he would receive much support. Power plays and special teams can often be the difference in these games as we have seen. Once the referees are fooled into calling a penalty or fail to respond to efforts of embellishment on a play the floodgates can open up without so much as a splash on the frozen pond. In the first round of these current playoffs there were six diving/embellishment penalties assessed. None were a stand alone diving penalty but deemed to be embellishment that was committed following the initial infraction. The first two embellishment penalties were assessed in Game 2 against Mats Zuccarello and Derek Dorsett of the Rangers in their 4-2 loss to the Flyers. The Rangers management was not impressed with those penalty calls and expressed their displeasure to the series supervisor. I wonder if the Ranger brass is singing the same tune after Sunday night. Since joining TSN in January of 2011 I have stated on numerous occasions the need to clean up the unmanly act of diving. When uncalled, embellishment rewards cheaters. I am often asked how the ref can call both an initial penalty and a dive; isnt it one or the other? In reality, embellishment is most often committed after a player has been legitimately fouled. When that occurs both illegal acts should be penalized. Three years ago I suggested that a double minor penalty be assessed to the diver when he was legitimately fouled and the referee was calling a minor penalty. It would take some guts for the refs to impose a strict standard on a call like this but the game would be better for it. The referees also have to know their calls would receive the full support of management. Until players that embellish are penalized by the referees and held accountable by the League with published fines and suspensions as prescribed in rule 64.3, this illegal act will continue to plague the game. Its time for everyone involved to man-up. Cheap Penguins Jerseys . The motion to expand the stadiums capacity passed through by a count of 39-3, with Toronto mayor Rob Ford being among those in opposition. Wholesale Penguins Jerseys . 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The CFL club is making the move after holding its camp and regular-season practices at the University of Toronto campus in Mississauga, Ont.TORONTO, Ontario - Skating as part of a regular line since the Maple Leafs reconvened for practice last Wednesday, it was a different look for David Bolland this morning, adorning a “non-contact” maroon jersey and participating only in selected drills as an extra player. “We felt Bolland took a step back yesterday, we felt it would be best suited that he didnt participate on a line today,” said head coach Randy Carlyle. “Its not a positive but its not a huge negative, dont read into it that its something we cant deal with.” “Hes unlikely for tomorrow; he had a little bit of a tweak there yesterday,” added GM Dave Nonis on “Leafs Lunch” on TSN 1050. “Hes had this before and its kind of a step program where he has this and it plateaus for a day or two and then he gets right back at it.” Bolland stumbled near the end of Tuesdays practice after a minor collision during a drill and appeared to grimace. He continued to participate in the few remaining drills but went straight to the locker room instead of joining the teams group discussion on the ice once practice has concluded. “We were playing a game mode situation there and I just had a little bit of a fall there but thats whats going to happen in a game so thats what I have to get ready for,” Bolland explained on Wednesday. While he will travel with the Leafs to New York and intends to take the morning skate, as Carlyle and Nonis indicated, Bolland will likely miss his 46th consecutive game on Thursday. Nikolai Kulemin between Mason Raymond and Troy Bodie formed the third line at Wednesdays practice. “Right now its just day to day. Its just getting it stronger,” Bolland said. “You have to be 100 per cent getting back in the line-up. Dont want to be a liability out there.” But when he gets back in isnt the only decision facing Leafs brass faces when it comes to Bolland. An unrestricted free agent on July 1, he is said to be seeking a longer term contract in the $5-plus million per year range as reported by TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger. Anything over $5.25 million – the cap hits for both Joffrey Lupul and David Clarkson – would make Bolland the Leafs second-highest paid forward, behind only Phil Kessels $8 million cap hit which kicks in next season. Best ssuited as a third line centre, can the Leafs afford to have Bolland that high on their pay scale? GM Dave Nonis indicated he doesnt necessarily feel compelled to make a decision before the Mar. Custom Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys. . 5 trade deadline. “If youve got a player thats unrestricted it doesnt mean he wont sign if you dont sign him before the (July 1) deadline,” Nonis explained on TSN 1050. “Look at our situation last year with Tyler Bozak. We didnt reach an agreement (before the trade deadline), he felt we needed to have him in order to get into the post-season and at the end of the season, he was a player who wanted to be here and we wanted to sign him and we found a way to reach an agreement. I dont believe you have to have a player signed, Im perfectly content of letting the UFAs play it out and see where we are.” And that might be the wisest course of action. Once healthy, Bolland would certainly help the Leafs down the stretch and into the playoffs. Given that the Leafs have built a seven point cushion on a playoff spot without him for most of the season, his return can be viewed almost as if its a deadline acquisition, and a good one at that, without giving anything up. With a resume that speaks for itself – two Stanley Cups, a Cup-winning goal, a proven savvy playoff performer and a good leader – its not unreasonable for Bolland to look in the range of $5 million per season. If he doesnt get it from the Leafs, there will be other suitors more than content to offer that type of deal. But with Jake Gardiner and Cody Franson slated for restricted free agency at the end of the season, Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Bernier at the end of the 2015 campaign and Morgan Rielly the year after that, all of whom will be due raises, how much value can the Leafs place on intangibles? “I think a little,” Nonis said on TSN 1050. “You still want to make sure the player is a good fit, that he can contribute on the ice. Therere very few guys that are making an NHL living just on being good guys in the locker room. They need to be able to go out and perform on the ice but there are some things that dont show up on the score sheet that you look at.” Theres no debate as to whether Bolland makes any team he plays on better but, at this point, he could be a luxury the Leafs just cant afford. ' ' '