Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at cmonref@tsn. Mens UA Stephen Curry 4 .ca. Hey Ref, I am a Habs fan, but no one likes to see headshots or injuries. I dont think that Douglas Murray intended to concuss Mike Kostka, and I really hate the trend of punishment based on severity of injury instead of severity of the infraction. Murray deserves a suspension, but given inconsistency of supplementary discipline I have no idea what is appropriate. I see worse things get away with nothing and things that arent as bad might get 3 games. It just seems random. What Murray did was a lazy, stupid panic reaction to a player he knew he could not keep up with or slow down legally, and could reasonably have been foreseen as injurious but I dont think he intended that. He clearly meant to hit him, he clearly stuck out his elbow, but I dont think he intended to make it the sole or even primary point of contact. He is just big and slow enough that it was all he made contact with. I would probably give him 3-4 games but given inconsistency have no idea what to expect. Whatta we have to do to get consistency, and what does this deserve? PR Kerry, I read your post on a regular basis. My team is not on anyones radar, playoff-wise, so bias not an issue here. On Tuesday you commented on the Orpik hit - I totally agree on your view. I just happened to be channel surfing last night and saw the Douglas Murray hit which may not have been equal to but not unlike the Orpik hit except Murrays skates did not leave the ice but intensions were much the same with perhaps a bit more elbow and the refs threw the book at Murray -- match penalty. In your opinion, should the refs be more on the severe side in these cases like the Murray hit? Also, there seems to be real disconnect when these calls are made in different games with different teams. Just an opinion, but I think it would be better if the referees were more severe - more MATCH penalties in these situations. Intent to injure, which many of these hits are, should equal a match penalty. Murrays hit equals automatic suspension, Orpik equals 0 jb CLICK HERE to watch the play in question. PR and JB: I agree that Douglas Murray neither attempted nor intended to injure Mike Kostka on this play. At 63 and 240 lbs, Douglas Murray is a huge presence on the blue line but he is not regarded as a dirty player. Murray is a "straight ahead" type of player with somewhat limited lateral mobility. Given his size, whenever Murray contains or catches an opponent inside his personal space he can administer a punishing body check. On the play in question, it was this limited lateral mobility that caused Douglas Murray to make himself even bigger with a reflex elbow once Mike Kostka dished the puck off in close quarters and was about to beat the Habs defenceman to the inside. A match penalty for attempting to or deliberately injuring an opponent is more typically imposed for a retaliatory attack on an opponent and/or when there is a larger gap in space and time that would indicate some premeditation. For example, if Douglas Murray had taken a run at Mike Kosta with his elbow in an extended prone position targeted at the head of his opponent, a match penalty should clearly result. While I am in no way condoning the poor and dangerous decision that Murray made to extend his elbow and contact the head of Kostka, it appeared to be a desperation, reflex move by Murray intended to stop his opponent and not in an attempt to deliberately injure Kostka. Under the current standard and interpretation, a 5 minute major and game misconduct would be the more expected penalty assessment on a play of this nature. The resulting time penalty (5 minutes) and expulsion from the game Murray incurred would have been the same with either assessment. To your point, JB, if there was any doubt in the refs mind whether to assess a major plus game misconduct or a match penalty he and the game would be better served by imposing the more severe penalty. The primary difference is that as a result of being assessed a match penalty, Douglas Murray was automatically suspended from further competition until the Commissioner (Players Safety Committee) has ruled on the issue as stipulated in Rule 21.2. If a major and game misconduct (or no penalty at all) had been assessed, the Players Safety Committee would, at their discretion, been able to review the hit and impose a suspension to Murray under Rule 28 - supplementary discipline if they deemed it worthy. Douglas Murray needs to be suspended for his decision and actions on this play. I wouldnt expect it to be more than three games but your guess is as good as mine. There is a big difference between Brooks Orpiks check that made contact through the body and the head of Jonathan Toews and Murrays elbow hit to the head of Mike Kostka. Orpiks hit is deemed to be entirely "legal" while Douglas Murray clearly violated Rule 45 - elbowing and/or Rule 48 - illegal check to the head. Orpik left his feet to increase velocity and impact through the hit on his opponents body and head while Murray kept his skates planted firmly on the ice when he extended an elbow that struck the head of Kostka and became the main point of contact. Brooks Orpik intended to inflict added punishment with the hit on Toews, who had placed himself in a vulnerable position, while Douglas Murrays illegal reflex elbow was intended to stop Mike Kosta from getting past him. As Ive outlined, there is a big difference in the two hits where contact to the head of an opponent resulted in varying degrees. Gold UA Stephen Curry 2 . Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and Frank Thomas appeared to be on track to gain election from the Baseball Writers Association of America on Wednesday, and Craig Biggio could join them. Red UA Stephen Curry 5 . In this weeks Leaf Report podcast, James Mirtle and Jonas Siegel debate whether Toronto can continue their shootout dominance and discuss what Dave Nonis game plan should be heading into the trade deadline. http://www.cheapuastephencurry.com/ .9 million deal Thursday. The 25-year McGinn had 19 goals and 19 assists in 79 games last season in helping the Avalanche tie a franchise record with 52 wins. NASHVILLE -- Geno Auriemma and UConn reached the top of womens college basketball in unprecedented fashion. After winning a record ninth national championship -- they stand alone. The Huskies reached the pinnacle in style, routing Notre Dame in the first NCAA basketball championship game featuring undefeated teams. Auriemma and his Huskies now have one more title than Pat Summitt and Tennessee for most all-time, and they did it in the Hall of Famers backyard. The Huskies had struggled recently against the Irish, but not Tuesday night, cruising to a 79-58 win. "It means weve done something no one else has ever done," Auriemma said. "Flattered and grateful and all the things that come with this kind of accomplishment. ... Im more proud of the legacy that exists and what Connecticut basketball is as opposed to the number of championships." Breanna Stewart, who was The Associated Press Player of the Year, scored 21 points to lead the Huskies (40-0) while Stefanie Dolson added 17 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists. Auriemma took out his senior centre with a minute left and the game well in hand with the pair embracing in a long hug. "We beat a great, great team," Auriemma said. "Notre Dame is a great team. For them to have the season they had and lose their starting centre and to do what they did, I cant say enough about their players, coaching staff and it took everything we have. I knew if we played great wed have a chance to win." The victory also meant that UConn is now the centre of the college basketball world with both the mens and womens teams winning the championship in the same year again. The mens team beat Kentucky in the title game Monday night. This pair of victories came a decade after the Huskies became the only Division I school to accomplish the feat. "I couldnt be prouder of what the men did last night," Auriemma said. Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw congratulated the UConn coach when they shook hands after the game. "I said something like, I thought we were playing the Miami Heat for a while you guys are just that good. What a great season, you know things like that," McGraw said. "I thought ... LeBron was the only thing they were missing." While the names change at UConn, from Rebecca Lobo to Diana Taurasi, Maya Moore and now Stewart, Auriemma has been the constant, winning nine titles in only 20 seasons -- including the last two. Hes never lost in a national championship game. "Congratulations to the UConn Huskies for winning the 2014 NCAA National Chammpionship!," Summitt said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press. White UA Stephen Curry 1. "My compliments also to coach Geno Auriemma for winning his ninth national title. He has accomplished this feat in record time." It was the fifth unbeaten season for Auriemma and UConn and the first time the Huskies went 40-0 -- matching Baylor as the only schools to accomplish that feat. The victory was also Connecticuts 46th straight dating back to last seasons NCAA tournament title run. Its the third longest streak in school history -- well short of the NCAA record 90 straight they won. The loss was Notre Dames third in the title game in the past four years. Kayla McBride finished off her stellar career with 21 points to lead the Irish, who were looking for their first championship since 2001. "Obviously we wanted to finish this season with a championship," said Irish freshman Taya Reimer, who replaced Achonwa in the starting lineup. "Right now, it is hard to think about. It hurts a lot." After proving to be no challenge for the Huskies during the first 15 years of the rivalry which began in 1995, Notre Dame had owned the series lately, winning seven of the previous nine meetings. UConn though has won the last two, eliminating Notre Dame in the Final Four last season before topping them in the championship game this year. The former Big East rivals played an entertaining first half in the highly anticipated matchup that womens basketball hoped could transcend the sport. The programs dont care for each other and the coaches added to the drama of the game with their verbal sparring on Monday. But it was Auriemma who got the last word again. Even with the loss, it was a record-setting season for the Irish. Notre Dame lost Skylar Diggins to graduation and changed conferences to the ACC. Neither mattered as they ran through their opponents, winning by an average of 25.6 points while taking both the conference regular season and tournament championships. The Irish lost senior Natalie Achonwa to a torn ACL in the regional final win over Baylor. Notre Dame wore warmup shirts with Achonwas nickname "Ace" below her No. 11. The team played inspired basketball in the Final Four win over Maryland where Notre Dame outrebounded the Terps by a record margin. The Irish couldnt muster a similar effort against UConn. The Huskies outrebounded the Irish 54-31 and held them to a season-low in points. "They got comfortable," McBride said. 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