MILWAUKEE - Brewers slugger Ryan Braun should be ready to return from a right oblique strain in time for next weeks series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Matt Nieto Avalanche Jersey . The outfielder hasnt played since April 26. Braun was hitting .318 with six homers and 18 RBIs when he was placed on the 15-day disabled list on May 3. Braun took batting practice before the teams game Wednesday afternoon against Arizona. Manager Ron Roenicke says Braun should be ready when eligible to play his next game, Tuesday against NL Central-rival Pittsburgh. Roenicke also says right-hander Marco Estrada was fine a day after the starter suffered a right leg cramp during a 7-5 loss to the Diamondbacks. Peter Forsberg Jersey .ca/CurlingSkins - with the Top 16 curlers earning a ticket to Banff, Alta. to compete in the TRAVELERS ALL-STAR CURLING SKINS GAME Presented by Pintys, running Jan. Anton Lindholm Jersey . Picard had a goal and two assists to help Canada improve to 2-0 at the tournament. Seven different players scored for the two-time defending champions. "Today all four lines played excellent," said head coach Laura Schuler. http://www.hockeyavalanche.com/authentic-matt-calvert-avalanche-jersey/ . LOUIS -- When Braves second baseman Tyler Pastornicky backpedaled into shallow right field to catch the popup and Jason Heyward didnt arrive fast enough to take charge, Kolten Wong got the green light.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. In Sundays Blackhawks-Penguins game, Pittsburgh defenceman Brooks Orpik laid a huge hit on Chicagos Jonathan Toews. Now in my view, Orpik can be clearly seen leaving his feet while delivering a moderately high hit. Why wasnt there supplemental discipline, and should there have even been a penalty? I thought anytime you leapt or left your feet, a penalty is called! Am I missing something? Stu Alderson Stu: You and I are not the only ones missing something here as players continually elevate their posture and leave their feet at impact to deliver devastating hits. Dangerous and significant contact to the head of their opponent almost always results whenever a player leaves his feet to make a big hit. In the here and now, these hits are deemed "legal." With an eye firmly set on the end game, which I hope still remains to greatly reduce contact to the head and resulting concussions, it is irresponsible to continue down this path any longer. While each camp can passionately debate their respective position on whether to allow or eliminate high hits where significant contact to the head of an opponent results, I respectfully submit this issue should no longer be a matter of personal opinion. Instead, it should only be about "science." Through irrefutable medical evidence, we now know the short and long term effects of blows to the head. This road map can provide us with a clear picture of the end game! Brooks Orpik set up to deliver a body check as he slowed and glided toward Jonathan Toews in the corner. Toews sole intent was to advance the puck around the end wall. In doing so, Jonathan Toews lowered his body posturre to place him (and particularly his head) in a vulnerable position and must share the responsibility for the location of where he was hit. A.J. Greer Avalanche Jersey. The onus of "how" the contact was delivered and the "degree of force" utilized is exclusively on Brooks Orpik and taken into account by the referee to determine the legality of the check. No differently than the vast majority of current players, Brooks Orpik finished his hit on Jonathan Toews with considerable force as demonstrated by his upward launch with skates high off the ice. This intensified the velocity and violence of the hit regardless of whether Toews was in a vulnerable position or not. In many cases I would even suggest that an opponents apparent vulnerability is something a player will capitalize on to enhance the degree of force exerted through a hit. We certainly dont see many players let up! Rule 42.1 tells us that a minor or major shall be imposed on a player who "jumps into" an opponent. The "jump" element of this rule was once applied when a players skates lost contact with the ice. Charging is seldom called in the current era of the game, where players leave their feet with far more frequency in the act of delivering a body check than ever before. The most common "excuse" for not calling this infraction is that a players skates did not completely leave the ice prior to initiating body contact. This generous and liberal interpretation is extended to include times when the toe tip of one skate remains in contact with the ice at impact. Referees should be directed to impose a charging penalty in every case when a players skates leave the ice in the act of delivering a body check, period. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to see the end game; just a medical scientist! ' ' '