Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn. Mitch Richmond Jersey .ca. Kerry, Im sure its been asked a million times but during the Habs game Manny Malhotra was ejected out of the face off in the dying seconds of the first that resulted in the Stars winning the faceoff and scoring. Then as I continue to watch the game, or any NHL game in my life for that matter, the linesmen are ejecting guys out of the dot or waiting longer to drop it. My question: what are these guys looking for to drop the black rubber thing on the ice? John Cobb John: In one word, the linesmen are looking for fairness! They want to conduct a fair drop to ensure that one player doesnt gain a distinct advantage over the other by cheating. With the multitude of face-off markings that are on ice, in addition to the procedure spelled out in Rule 76 (face-offs) it really shouldnt be all that difficult for the centers to stand squarely with their stick on the ice in the shaded area of the dot. It all sounds good in theory but as Dale Hunter once told me, Frase, if you aint cheatin you aint tryin! Manny Malhotra is without a doubt the premier face-off expert in the NHL. I can tell you that Manny is also a real solid citizen and a class act. Those fine qualities, however, do not prevent the Habs player from subscribing to Hunters theory whenever he can get away with it. With 2.5 seconds remaining in the first period and a face-off to the right of Carey Price, Malhotra keyed on Mike Cviks hand once the big linesman presented the black disc in preparation of dropping it. As Honda applied finger pressure to the puck just prior to releasing it, Manny jumped prematurely with a stick swing that eliminated opposing center Jason Spezzas stick before drawing the puck cleanly on his backhand. Malhotra beat Cvik to the draw by exerting contact to his opponent and the linesman had no alternative but to eject the Montreal specialist from the face-off. (Here is a test for you. Hold your thumb and pointer-finger together and apply pressure. The fine muscles in your hand will twitch and your thumb nail will even change color at the tip. That creates the trigger switch for an expert like Manny Malhotra to move on. Each linesman can grip the puck a little differently and demonstrate a tell as to the moment he will drop the puck. Experts like Manny Malhotra study these individual tendencies) Players must adhere to the following guidelines and enforced by the linesmen as per Rule 76.4, which states that when the face-off takes place in any of the end face-off circles, the players taking part shall take their position so that they will stand squarely facing their opponents end of the rink, and clear of the ice markings. The sticks of both players facing-off shall have the blade on the ice, within the designated white area. The visiting player shall place his stick within the designated white area first followed immediately by the home player. It really shouldnt be all that difficult for players to follow those clear instructions. Violations that result in an ejection are: i) One or both centers are not positioned for the face-off, ii) One or both centers refrain from placing their stick on the ice, iii) Any player has encroached into the face-off circle, iv) Any player makes physical contact with an opponent, or v) Any player who lines up for the face-off in an off-side position. A referees best friend is a moving puck. Trust me when I tell you I wanted face-offs to be conducted by the linesmen as quickly and efficiently as humanly possible. I respect their need for maintaining the integrity of an end-zone face-off because, as we saw in this situation, a goal resulted just prior to the horn sounding. Fans get frustrated and frequently blame the linesmen when players are ejected from the face-off circle or it seems to take forever to drop the puck. The last thing any linesman wants is to become the goat when a flawed face-off results in a goal. As much as I respect their position, I have to admit that I stood on the goal line many times and uttered under my breath, just drop the puck! One night in the Joe Lewis Arena, my friend and colleague linesman Dan McCourt was taking forever to drop the puck for an end zone face-off. I finally skated into the face-off circle from my opposite side goal-line position and said to Chief, The artist sitting in the first row just informed me that he has finished your still portrait and its okay for you to drop the puck now. Just open your hand and let gravity take over! You can imagine what linesman Chief Dan McCourt told me to do. I still chuckle how the two centers just about fell over laughing as I skated back to my position. The puck eventually fell and another perfect face-off was conducted. Harry Giles Jersey . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Tonight, Michigans Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ontario. Zach Randolph Jersey . Carling Bassett-Seguso was a world No. 8 almost 30 years ago. Currently 13th, Bouchard is assured of equalling that when the next rankings are released Monday. http://www.nbakingsonline.com/Authentic-Malachi-Richardson-Kings-Jersey/ .2 million in 2012, according to tax returns the league has submitted. SAN FRANCISCO -- Tony Campana and Cliff Pennington made the most of their rare starts for the Arizona Diamondbacks. Campana drove Pennington in with the go-ahead run on an RBI single with two outs in the 10th inning to lead the Diamondbacks to their first back-to-back wins of the season with a 6-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night. "Its just us being ready," Campana said. "We both kind of kept our routine the same. You kind of come in every day ready to play. Today we got the start and both did a pretty good job at the plate and got the win." Campana had a career-high four hits and Pennington added three, including a two-run single as both players made just their second starts of the young season. "Theyre not rookies, and they prepare themselves properly," manager Kirk Gibson said. "They were ready to play tonight." Miguel Montero also drove in two runs for the Diamondbacks, who won the final two games of the series. Michael Morse hit a two-run double that gave the Giants the lead, but an error by third baseman Pablo Sandoval allowed the tying run to score in the eighth and San Francisco fell in extra innings to lose their first home series since last August against Boston. Pennington hit a one-out single off Yusmeiro Petit (0-1) in the 10th and then stole second base on a 2-2 pitch to Campana with two outs. Campana then blooped a single just over the outstretched glove of second baseman Brandon Hicks to score the go-ahead run. "It took some pressure off once he got to second," Campana said. "I knew I just had to get it through the infield somehow. Got jammed and got over his head barely." J.J. Putz (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win and Addison Reed got three outs for his third save in as many chances. The Diamondbacks failed to score in the seventh after loading the bases with no outs, but got the tying run an inning later on Sandovals bad throw. George Hill Jersey. With runners on first and second and two outs in the eighth, Campana hit a slow grounder to Sandoval, who rushed his throw to first. The ball sailed over Brandon Belts head allowing Gerardo Parra to score the tying run from second. "You have to keep your poise," manager Bruce Bochy said. "He got in a rush mode there. With the game on the line, you have to be a bit more cautious. You have to know the situation." Sandoval had a chance to make up for that mistake in the bottom half but couldnt deliver. The Giants loaded the bases with one out with help from a fly to centre that Campana misjudged to give Brandon Crawford a leadoff double. Belt hit a fly ball to left field that was not deep enough to let Crawford tag from third. Sandoval then flied out to deep right to end the inning. The Diamondbacks jumped on top early against Ryan Vogelsong with a two-run single by Pennington in the second inning and a two-run double by Montero in the third to take a 4-1 lead. The Giants hitters chipped away after the early deficit, getting a run in the third on the first bunt single of Buster Poseys career when he surprised Arizona with a two-out bunt with Angel Pagan on third. Back-to-back doubles by Morse and Crawford to open the fourth made it 4-3 and Morses double off Will Harris in the fifth gave the Giants the lead. NOTES: Arizona manager Kirk Gibson unsuccessfully challenged a play at second base in the first inning when Campana was caught stealing to end the inning after a strikeout to Paul Goldschmidt. ... The Giants held a pregame ceremony honouring their former home, Candlestick Park, which is set to be torn down later this year. ... Madison Bumgarner (1-0) takes the mound for the Giants on Friday when they open a series against Colorado. ... Brandon McCarthy (0-1) is set to take the mound for Arizona on Friday in the opener of a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '