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. Hey Kerry, Thanks for taking time to read my question. So here goes... I understand that throughout the playoffs, the relative rankings in the regular season determines which team gets home ice advantage as they move through each round. I completely understand the logic regarding this rule and it makes total sense...more points earned = home ice advantage. And with this advantage, the home team benefits by having the energizing and supportive participation of their home crowd, whereas the visiting team is disadvantaged by having 19,000 fans who desperately want them to lose. But what I dont understand is why a visiting team must automatically submit their lineups first? Obviously this knowledge provides another strategic advantage to the coaching staff of the home team. Specifically, what has the home team done to EARN receiving this information/advantage first, other than simply being the home team? My question also applies to the stick-to-the-ice requirement on faceoffs by the visiting team first. Why is this so? Wouldnt it be more fair for the teams to call head or tails on the flip of a coin for these two issues, like they do in football for the kickoff? Couldnt they flip a coin five hours before game time - one coin flip for the lineup submission, and a second flip for the faceoff stick placement? It seems that these two additional unearned benefits bestowed to the home team in the playoffs need re-examination, unless Im missing something here. Thank you very much,BillLaval, Quebec Hi Bill: The founders initiated a policy that since one team had to submit their starting lineup and playing roster first. Given that the season schedule was balanced the visiting team coach was ultimately designated in the rules as the one required to blink first! Recognizing that over the course of the regular season a team plays an equal number of games at home and on the road Rule 33.3 outlines the process as follows: It is the policy of the National Hockey League that the coach of the visiting club provide to the Official Scorer, a list of eligible players, his starting line-up and designated Captain and Alternates, within five (5) minutes of completion of the warm-up twenty (20) minutes prior to faceoff. These twenty (20) minutes gives the Official Scorer time to obtain the completed home team line-up, return it to the visiting Coach and provide a copy of both line-ups to the Referees. The Official Scorer must file a report to the Commissioner or his designate if either Coach fails to cooperate within these recommended guidelines. (Report to be forwarded to NHL Toronto office). The starting lineup is simply a one-time event during the course of a game. Matching lines against key players can become an issue throughout the entire game for the visiting team Coach since the home team has the benefit of last change. Changes on the fly can become an integral part of the strategy employed by both teams and when not executed cleanly can result in scoring opportunities. We have seen situations where the line matching process can even take place immediately following the opening puck drop whereby the visiting team might dump the puck deep and then head to the bench for a designated line change. In a playoff series that goes the full seven games, the team that won the right to host the deciding game (and it was won over the long haul and not arbitrarily bestowed) also receives the full bundle of rights associated with home ice advantage; recording starting line-up last, centre stick down last in faceoffs and most importantly, the last line change. Over the course of my career I encountered more than a few glitches with team starting lineups and rosters that were submitted prior to the game. I assessed a bench minor for the incorrect starting line-up on more than two occasions when an appeal was made prior to the next face-off by the non-offending team. I also removed players from the game once I was informed by the official scorer that those players were not listed on the roster that had been submitted by the Coach. The most bizarre situation occurred when I had to enforce rule 5.2 to take away a goal that had just been scored by a team with an ineligible player on the ice. It didnt matter that the ineligible player was not involved in the scoring but simply that he had been on the ice at the time the goal had been scored and it was brought to my attention at that stoppage of play. When I showed the Coach the copy of the roster in my back pocket he admitted that he had entrusted the team trainer with filling in the roster sheet prior to the game! Near the end of my career I had a game in Madison Square Garden and Ken Hitchcock was coaching the visiting Philadelphia Flyers. Once we added a second referee to the crew I always entrusted the starting line-up sheets to my junior partner. In other words I never put them in my pocket because every other referee was junior to me. This night I was working with Bill McCreary so he held the roster sheets. Following the national anthem, Coach Hitchcock called McCreary to the Flyer bench. I saw him take the roster sheets out of his pocket, examine them briefly and then wave me over and to the bench. Upon my arrival, McCreary attempted to hand me the sheets and said Hitch wanted to make sure he had the correct players circled for the starting lineup. I refused to take the roster sheets and told McCreary to check them himself. The more McCreary persisted in trying to hand the sheets to me the more I resisted taking them. Finally as this Keystone Cops routine went back and forth the Flyers Coach intervened and asked what the F we were doing? We admitted that neither one of us carried our reading glasses onto the ice nor could we see the fine print or the players that were circled! McCreary handed the sheets to Hitch and said who are you starting? Coach Hitchcock rolled his eyes and said, "Man, we are in trouble tonight with you two out here. Youre both F-n blind!" (My contact lenses worked great on the long shots, however) Kyrie Irving Shoes Free Shipping . He never mentioned anything about his hitting. The 33-year-old right-hander had success with both Sunday, pitching six solid innings and helping the offence-starved Mets with an RBI single as New York salvaged a doubleheader split with a 4-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks. 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The Dodgers found it in the ballpark of their biggest rival, and left the Bay Area in first place following an emphatic three-game swing.The Canadian Hockey Leagues top official is fighting back against Canadas largest private sector union, which says it wants to improve working conditions for the 1,300 mostly teenaged hockey players who compete in the countrys three major junior leagues. Unifor, which represents workers in industries such as the auto and media sectors, is trying to convince the Ontario government to organize a task force to examine the junior-hockey industry. David Branch, president of the Ontario Hockey League, has sent a series of emails to OHL players and their parents over the past few weeks to thwart Unifors efforts. In three emails obtained by TSN, Branch advises players that they do not have to sign union cards, are not required to attend any non-team off-site meetings, and can refuse requests from third parties for their personal information. Branch is also president of the Canadian Hockey League, which represents the OHL, Western Hockey League and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Its unclear whether Branch or other officials have sent similar emails to players in those leagues. In his emails to players, Branch included links to a Toronto Star story in July that reported a controversial figure in the hockey world named Glenn Gumbley was involved in Unifors attempt to organize players. Gumbleys involvement tainted a failed effort two years ago to organize junior players after he contacted members of the media using someone elses name. While Gumbley asked Unifor earlier this year to consider taking up the junior hockey issue after the United Steelworkers union declined, Unifor president Jerry Dias told TSN that Gumbley is no longer involved. Dias and several hockey player agents say a union for major junior hockey is needed because compensation to players has not kept up with the times. Dias said franchises are now selling for as much as $10 million. "The London Knights are probably worth $20 million," he said, "but theyre still paying kids like $50 a week, the same as they were in the 1980s. They havent even kept up with inflation. Are you telling me that with teams putting 8,000 fans in an arena, selling tickets for $17, at least one dollar of that cannot go to player salaries?" Todd Christie, an NHL player agent, told The Globe and Mail in 2012 that if OHL players were paid Ontarios minimum wage, players would have collectively received $15 million between 1980 and 2006.Branchs emails come as Dias says Unifor is making progress. But Branch disputes Diass claims. Branch says that the OHL alone is paying out some $5 million worth of educational scholarships this year to the leagues former players. The OHL has also changed its policy on its education packages. Players used to be required to attend school within six months of finishing their junior career, or they would forfeit their scholarships. Now, players can wait 18 months, perhaps giving them time to test the waters on a pro career. On July 8, a day after the Toronto Star story was published, Branch emailed OHL players. "In your time with us we look to provide you with the best player experience be itt through training, education, player development and health and safety.dddddddddddd We want you to be able to fully focus on the playing and developing in the game you love while learning valuable leadership and teamwork skills," Branch wrote. "While you are in the CHL, please know that regardless of who asks, you are not required to do any of the following: give our your personal information; sign a union card or attend any offsite non-team meetings." Dias confirmed that some players in Quebec have been asked to sign union cards by Nicholas Pard, who played three seasons with the Saint John Sea Dogs in Quebecs major junior league. It is unclear how many players signed union cards. Pard is now playing pro hockey in Europe, Dias said. Days after his first email to players, Branch emailed the parents of players. In that email he referred to OHL players as "amateur student athletes," a key description. Calling the players "student athletes" helps the league justify not paying players at least minimum wage, Dias said in an interview.On Aug. 21, Branch sent another email to parents. "We firmly believe that no third party can provide the player experience that the CHL does in cooperation with our partners – the players and their parents, and our partners in the game - the CIS, Hockey Canada, the NHL and many others," Branch wrote. The parents of several OHL players said it was unusual to receive multiple emails from Branch during the off-season. Dias said the emails show how worried Branch and other officials are about prospective change to the game. "They say we are messing with the game," Dias said. "I say we are trying to protect the rights of these kids." Dias said hes spent the past weeks speaking to both current and former major junior and NHL players, player agents, and politicians. He wants the Ontario government to establish a task for to scrutinize working conditions in the OHL. Branch told TSN that the emails were sent because the league is working to improve communications with players and families. "In terms of the reference to not being required to sign a union card, we felt it was important to let our parents and players know that they are not obliged to do so," Branch wrote, adding that he also emailed a link to the Toronto Star story in July about Unifors efforts. One NHL player agent, who also represents players in the CHL, told TSN that Branchs tactics are "straight from the management handbook of labour relations. Discredit, deflect issues, avoid real issues."While a source told TSN that several OHL team owners are now lobbying members of provincial parliament, arguing that a union would ruin the game, Branch said that the OHL has not yet organized a coordinated lobbying effort. "There are teams in 17 locations in the province, in 13 of those locations the OHL team is the number one sports and entertainment property," Branch said. "All of the teams are connected in their community and with their local elected officials at all levels." ' ' '