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. Good morning Kerry, I love your daily clarifications to help everyone understand better why some calls are made! My question is in regards of spearing. As you know by now, Milan Lucic speared Alexei Emelin in Game 3 - again! I understand that at times some calls be overlooked, but why is he continuously getting away with it? If there is video evidence, why nothing is done afterward to avoid any precedence to be set? My last question: is this not making the officials in a difficult position? Thank you very much for your time. Lyne Laurendeau Lyne: The act of spearing and butt-ending seldom result in a player suspension. Instead, a fine may be imposed (but not always as we have seen) by the Player Safety Committee. It would appear that players are utilizing both ends of their hockey stick on a more consistent basis in violation of rule 58 (butt-ending) and rule 62 (spearing). This season the following fines have been levied for these illegal acts: February 6, 2014: Alexei Emelin - Montreal Canadiens - Butt-ending Pascal Pelletier ($5,000)March 20, 2014: David Legwand - Detroit Red Wings - Butt-ending Evgeni Malkin ($5,000)April 13, 2014: Scott Hartnell - Philadelphia Flyers - Spearing Brett Bellemore ($5,000)April 18, 2014: Milan Lucic - Boston Bruins -Spearing Danny DeKeyser ($5,000)April 25, 2014: Ryan Garbutt - Dallas Stars - Spearing Corey Perry ($1,474.36) You also might recall in the Ducks-Stars series on April 18th that Corey Perry was given a "slashing" minor when he "speared" Jamie Benn at 7:25 of the first period. Perry remained in the game as a result the "slashing" assessment and then scored an unassisted goal at 16:15 of the second in a 3-2 Anaheim win. Milan Lucic was also guilty of an undetected backdoor spear motion on Alexei Emelin in a game March 24. Neither of these incidents resulted in a fine. Beyond the non-call in the Bruins-Habs game the other night, no disciplinary action or fine will result from Lucics latest spear on Emelin. It should also be noted that Emelin was guilty of cross-checking on the play and was not penalized for the infraction as well. Fouls can be missed in the fast pace of the game. There is obvious reluctance on the part of the referees to call "spearing" for what it is due to the severity of the penalty that they must impose under the rule. Only when contact is significant, as in the Ryan Garbutt spear on Corry Perry, will we see the accurate call made. Perrys action on Jamie Benn was no less a spearing motion than Garbutts, but due to lesser degree of contact (deemed to be minimal by the ref) the infraction was called slashing. It is not the referees job to interpret the relative value of the rule or base their assessment on the degree of contact (or non contact) when a spearing motion is delivered. That however is exactly what is being done. Under rule 62, the referee is empowered (and expected) to assess a double minor is imposed when a player spears an opponent and does not make contact. A major and game misconduct is to be assessed on a player who spears an opponent (makes contact). When I attended my first NHL training camp for officials as a 20-year-old aspiring referee in 1972 we went through every rule in the book during daily classroom sessions. The rule book wasnt all that thick back then and the referee had the option of assessing a minor or major penalty for spearing based on the degree of contact. Wanting to understand the difference between the two applications I approached veteran referee Lloyd Gilmour for advice. I asked Gilmour what constituted the difference between a minor or major penalty for spearing. Without so much as a wink, Lloyd said, "Kid, if you see the spear go in its two minutes; if the stick comes out the players back call it five!" Perhaps the veteran advice was a little tongue-in- cheek but in reality not all that far off from the application we might be seeing now. Lyne, it is my opinion that there should be a fine imposed for every instance of spearing and butt-ending; regardless of the degree of contact or whether a penalty was imposed by the referee. Both are dangerous and cheap acts. Further to this, the referees must be directed to call the action of spearing and butt-ending for what they are and not place their personal value on the degree of contact made with the point or end of a players stick. It is the referees that are putting themselves in a "difficult position" by either ignoring the infraction or calling it by any other terminology than what it is. 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Todd Mayo had 18 points including the last 10 in regulation for Marquette (11-9, 3-4) to help force overtime at 77-77. A layup by Villanovas Tony Chennault with one second left in regulation was waved off by the officials after Steve Taylor, Jr., drew a charging foul. Wright pleaded with the officials while Marquettes fans erupted in jubilation. Arcidiacono helped his coach forget about the frantic ending, and Villanova snapped Marquettes 20-game winning streak in home conference games. Marquettes last loss at home to a Big East foe was 67-60 to Cincinnati on March 2, 2011. The Golden Eagles had the third-longest such streak in the country entering Saturday behind Gonzaga and Weber State, who were both at 23 games. The hard-fought win for Villanova at one of the toughest venues in the league helped ease the sting of a humbling 28-point loss at home earlier in the week to Creighton. Darrun Hilliard had 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting for Villanova. Davante Gardner had 29 points and 13 rebounds for Marquette. The Wildcats frustratedd Marquette early with jumpers, but Gardner led the Golden Eagles push in the paint to stay within a possession or two for much of the second half.dddddddddddd Villanova turned away every run -- until the end of regulation. The Wildcats kept it interesting after missing 5 of 7 from the free throw line in a stretch in the final 1:11. Mayo followed a running jumper with a three from the corner to get Marquette within 75-74 with 13.2 seconds left. Arcidiacono responded with two free throws, but then fouled Mayo on three-point attempt at the other end with 4.8 seconds left. Mayo hit all three free throws -- the last one tantalizingly bouncing on the rim a couple times before falling through for a 77-77 tie. It set up Chennaults contested drive for a potential game-winner, but the officials charging call whipped the crowd into a frenzy. Overtime had seemed unattainable after JayVaughn Pinkstons dunk gave Villanova a 68-57 lead with 4:53 to play. But the Golden Eagles fought back in their third straight overtime game before falling short. Villanova allowed an opponent to shoot at least 50 per cent from the field a second straight game, a startling statistic for a team that prided itself on holding teams under that mark for 47 straight games. While Creighton did its damage from the perimeter, Marquette pounded the ball inside with a 54-30 advantage in the paint. The bullish 6-foot-8 Gardner led the way, shooting 9 of 16. Marquette, though, wasted opportunities at the free throw line, especially in regulation, and finished 21 of 31 for the game. ' ' '