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. Dear Kerry, Love the articles, big fan since the beginning. Miss you on the ice. I am emailing in regards to the video of referee Paul Devorskis last game with Vancouver. What is your take on the video of Paul clearly making derogatory comments about Tortorella during the Anaheim game last night (as Don Cherry would say "Dont read lips") and what would be the consequences of something like this happening during a game for a ref? ThanksJeff Yates --- Hi Kerry, Recently, Paul Devorski has drawn the ire of Canuck fans of calling games slanted in the oppositions favour (including the most recent example of giving the Ducks a seven-minute 5-on-3 advantage). I wouldnt say the game against L.A. was refereed poorly, but I would suggest that it wasnt Devorskis best game and Im guessing Tortorella had some comments about the refereeing after the game ended yet Devorski ended up refereeing the next game against the Ducks. I know there have been examples of referees coming in on short notice (most notably the referees drafted in during the Stanley Cup Playoffs after Jim Schoenfeld overturned his suspension and the referees held a wildcat strike). After Stephane Augers battle with Vancouvers Alex Burrows, I dont think Auger reffed games with Vancouver for a long time. How often are referee assignments changed if something controversial happens in the previous game? Thanks,GarethRichmond, BC Jeff and Gareth: I thought Wyatt Arndts blog article published in The Province was well written and provided a very fair and balanced account from all sides (If you havent done so please open it up in Jeffs question and read it now).Let me be perfectly clear, there is no justification for an Official (ref or linesman) to lose his composure and curse back at a player, coach or even a fan. Regardless of just how difficult it might be to "bite your tongue" in the heat of the moment, any profane outburst from a ref becomes indefensible. A refs credibility and respect can be damaged (at least temporarily) when negative emotions are inappropriately vented in public as we witnessed in this situation. Im positive that referee Paul Devorski regrets the poor conduct he demonstrated by sharing his feelings with colleague Dan ORourke in what he thought to be a private exchange. He should know that nothing is private anymore; if he didnt he does now. It matters little that referee Devorski was the recipient of Vancouver Coach John Tortorellas profanity-laced attack; lip reading aside! What matters most is that the referee is entrusted with the authority to act as an impartial arbitrator and conduct himself in a professional manner at all times. You can rest assured that Paul Devorski has already been spoken to about this incident by someone from within Hockey Operations and/or the Officiating Department. There are also times when an Officials assignments will be altered to keep from throwing gasoline on smoldering ashes that remain from a previous game or incident. Moving personnel is not always easy with back-to-back games and especially on the West Coast. While the referees conduct was inappropriate it demonstrates something none of us should lose sight of. These guys are only human! There isnt a referee that hasnt slipped up and cursed at one time or another. I know for sure I have. I learned early in my career however that if I was expected to control the game and the negative emotions that often surfaced in disputes, it was imperative that I maintain control my own emotions. Believe me when I tell you there were many times that this good intention was much easier said than done! I adopted the adage, "Treat disrespect, with respect" to gain leverage and exert control in heated exchanges with players and coaches. In an effort to quickly bring the temperature down, I incorporated non aggressive body language (open palms vs finger point) and a monotone voice inflection (vs elevated volume and shouting match). I attempted to quickly set the tone and establish an element of control during the dispute through my actions by demonstrating a calm but firm demeanor. I encouraged the other party to engage in a civil conversation as opposed to a giving or receiving a profanity laced lecture. Through the "conversation" that generally followed I listened as the player or coach expressed their opinion. I then explained the reasoning behind my decision. In the end we might just agree to disagree. Regardless of the eventual outcome an effort was always made to solicit some form of civil decorum. To maintain self-control as a referee it is important to feel your internal emotional pitch rise and fall like the mercury of a thermometer (Think of any bouts of road rage you have been a party to?). You better think before you speak and when you do listen to yourself; the tone, the volume and how it is being perceived. I was in a heated debate with a player one time when I stopped abruptly in midsentence. I apologized for what I had just heard myself say to the player that I deemed inappropriate; I knew he must have as well. I withdrew my inappropriate comment by stating, "Im sorry, that came out the wrong way; what I meant to say was this". It is especially important for the referee to be part of the solution as opposed to part of the problem. Sometimes it takes super-human strength to keep your emotions in check. In the 1974-75 season, I was assigned to an IHL game in Flint, MI. Late in the third period I assessed multiple penalties to Muskegon Mohawks defenceman Lynn Margarit following a fight. Margarit amassed 301 penalty minutes that season and 2,100 during his 10-year IHL career. The player and I engaged in a heated, nose to nose debate over the game misconduct he had received. In his rage, and as I opened my mouth to speak, Margarit spat directly into my mouth! It immediately sickened me. Every muscle in my body immediately shook with rage in readiness to drill this guy. Somehow I was able to dig deep and maintained the self-control required of a referee. In 1975, in an AHL game in Halifax, I was physically attacked by Richard Lemieux - who played 274 games in the NHL for Vancouver Canucks, Kansas City Scouts and Atlanta Flames. After receiving his third penalty of the game Lemieux threw down his gloves at centre ice and charged at me. I squared to meet him with open palms as a "sign of peace!" Lemieux refused my peace offering and threw a left punch that I slipped and grabbed the sleeve of his jersey as his fist went past my ear. His right hand punch, I caught in the air and was then able to pull the jersey over his head. Thank goodness there were no "tie-downs" in those days! Big Ken Houston jumped off his bench, placed me in a bear hug and lifted my skates off the ice thinking that I was going to punch his now vulnerable teammate just as the two linemen arrived on the scene. Following the game Lemieux, Houston and coach Al MacNeil came to the Officials dressing room and issued a sincere apology. NHL President Clarence Campbell suspended Lemieux for 10 games in addition to imposing a hefty fine. The point in both of these hostile and very aggressive confrontations with players is that if I, as a referee, had not maintained control of my emotions and acted in a "professional" manner, my officiating career would have ended before I even made it to the NHL. On occasion, there are situations in a game that require superhuman strength for a referee to fight the natural tendency to be, "only human." Kansas City Royals Pro Shop . -- Miami Dolphins defensive co-ordinator Kevin Coyle defended the management style of coach Joe Philbin in the wake of the teams bullying scandal. Kansas City Royals Gear . Curtis Davies and Robert Koren secured the victory with goals inside 35 minutes of the fifth-round replay against the second-tier side. https://www.cheaproyals.com/. Miikka Kiprusoff had just announced his retirement after a decade-long run in Calgary and it would be up to Berra and Ramo to fill the void. Kansas City Royals Store . The 18-time champions, who havent won the title since 1990, moved two points behind Arsenal after the leaders were stunned 6-3 at Manchester City on Saturday. Defending champion Manchester United trails Arsenal by 10 points after winning 3-0 at Aston Villa to avoid a third successive league loss. Royals Jerseys 2019 . -- Manager Bob Melvin shuffled the Athletics batting order and got the type of production he was looking for from the top of the lineup.LOS ANGELES, Calif. - After 19 consecutive starts without a victory, Hector Noesi finally got one against the struggling Los Angeles Dodgers. And his teammates were just as happy as he was to see the drought end. Jose Abreu homered for the second straight game after coming off the disabled list, and Tyler Flowers also went deep to lead the Chicago White Sox to a 4-1 victory on Tuesday night. "It was good for Hector to get that off his back, and hopefully it just keeps going for him," manager Robin Ventura said. "Youre happy for him with everything hes been through this year — being on a bunch of teams. And pitching the way he did tonight was a little icing on the cake. For him to go through a lineup like that was impressive." Noesi (1-3) won as a starter for the first time since May 6, 2012 with Seattle, after going 0-12 with a 5.42 ERA. The 27-year-old right-hander allowed a run and five hits over six innings with six strikeouts. Noesi walked three of his first nine batters, but all the Dodgers could get out of it was a sacrifice fly in the second inning by Dee Gordon. "He was effectively wild and didnt really give us much to hit," Los Angeles catcher Drew Butera said. "He had a really good changeup, which is his pitch, and he threw it in fastball counts. When we were sitting on the fastball, he didnt really give us the same look on any one fastball." Former Dodgers reliever Ronald Belisario pitched a perfect ninth for his fourth save. "I think tonight he was a little fired up and had some adrenaline going," Ventura said. "Thats what happens anytime a guy goes back and sees his former team." Dan Haren (5-4) gave up four runs on six hits through six innings. Abreu put the right-hander in a 2-0 hole right away with his team-high 17th homer, driving an 0-1 pitch into the lower seats in the left field corner after Gordon Beckham doubled off the top of the fence in left. On Monday, Abreu came off the disabled list and opened the scoring with a two-run shot against Clayton Kershaw before the Dodgers rallied. Abreu is this years Cuban rookie sensation. Yasiel Puig was last years, and hes been even better so far this season — even if he is still sometimes a bit unpredictable.dddddddddddd The right fielder was tardy for an earlier-than-usual pregame workout with his teammates. Unlike opening day, when manager Don Mattingly scratched him from the lineup for being late for batting practice, Puig remained in the third spot in the order and doubled his first time up. He went 2 for 4 with a double for the Dodgers on the one-year anniversary of his major league debut. Haren, who has walked no more than two batters in 11 of his 12 starts, issued a leadoff walk to Adam Eaton and Abreu drove him in with a fielders choice grounder for Chicagos second run. Flowers increased the margin to 3-1 in the fourth with his 27th big league homer — and his first to the opposite field. "We know hes got a few different weapons," Flowers said. "And even though he doesnt throw overly hard, he changes speeds well and can make the ball move in every direction. So you kind of pick a half of the plate and stick with that. " The defending NL West champions put two men on base with two out in the seventh and eighth innings, but Zack Putnam escaped both threats by retiring Adrian Gonzalez and Dee Gordon on flyballs to centre field. "Were struggling to put a few wins together, but were not down. Were still optimistic," Butera said. NOTES: On the eve of the Los Angeles Kings showdown with the New York Rangers in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, former Dodger 3B Ron Cey said he would be rooting against the Rangers because they eliminated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round. Ceys nickname has always been "The Penguin" because of the way he ran the bases. ... Puig was named NL Player of the Month for May, after batting .398 with eight homers and 25 RBIs in 28 games. His 43 hits tied Willie Davis L.A. Dodger record for that month. Puig received the same honour last June. ... White Sox LF Adam Dunn started in the cleanup spot, despite the fact that he came in 2 for 18 lifetime against Haren with eight strikeouts. Ventura gave Dunn the night off on Monday against Kershaw, even though he was 8 for 13 with four home runs against the two-time Cy Young Award winner. ' ' '