coincidental minor penalties were called on Milan Lucic

PITTSBURGH -- With the Chicago Cubs supposedly fine-tuning things for postseason form, ace Jake Arrieta was roughed up by the Pittsburgh Pirates in an 8-4 loss Wednesday night.Pirates first baseman John Jaso hit for the cycle and Arrieta (18-8) gave up seven runs and 10 hits -- both season-highs -- in five innings. But manager Joe Maddon said there isnt cause for concern that the Cubs starter wont be able to right the ship come October.That was probably the best strike-throwing I have seen out of him, Maddon said. He was throwing very well. Up until the home run by Jaso, theres just a couple singles to the opposite field. That was it. Then, the last inning kind of got away from us too. But he wasnt that bad today. None of it made sense to me.The Pirates hit three consecutive doubles to score three runs in the sixth inning and Jasos three-run home run in the fifth did the majority of the damage.It felt like a spring training game from the get-go, just wasnt crisp and didnt have much working, Arrieta (18-8) said. Thats about it.The Cubs havent made a plan yet for when Arrieta will pitch next. He is not scheduled to make another start this season. Arrieta said it doesnt matter to him when he pitches next, hes just focused on the postseason.Were moving on, he said. I dont like giving up seven runs. Im (mad) about that. but moving forward, everything is fine. . Ill throw sides up here, and whoever I face in the first round, theyre going to be in trouble.Jasos triple in the seventh inning gave him the first cycle in the 16-year history of PNC Park.The triple off reliever Pedro Strop clinched the Pirates first cycle since 2004. The last Pirate to hit for the cycle was Daryle Ward on May 26, 2004, in St. Louis. The last Pirates home cycle was by Jason Kendall on May 19, 2000, against the Cardinals at Three Rivers Stadium.Jaso isnt exactly a typical candidate for the cycle. He has neither prodigious power nor speed, as he hit just his seventh home run and third triple of the season. Jaso didnt even realize what had happened until he had already performed the feat.It didnt really dawn on me until I was standing on the base, he said. I was looking at (third base coach Rick) Sofield and it finally just hit me.Against Arrieta, Jaso singled in the second inning, hit a three-run home run in the fourth and doubled in the fifth.Its just a great memory to have, Jaso said. You dont really want to take this blessing for granted being here.Pirates starter Jameson Taillon (5-4) allowed one hit and struck out four in six innings.Chicagos Anthony Rizzo hit a solo homer, his 32nd of the season.OH, CANADAThe Pirates announced that they will play a two-game preseason series in Montreal against the Toronto Blue Jays March 31 and April 1, 2017. The Pirates havent played in Montreal since 2013.TRAINING ROOMCubs: OF Chris Coghlan left the game with a mild left ankle sprain. He ran into the wall in left field attempting to catch a fly ball in the fifth inning. . Maddon expects OF Jorge Soler (right side) to be able to play this weekend.Pirates: After being officially eliminated from the playoffs Tuesday, the Pirates will shut injured reliever Neftali Feliz down for the season, and will be backing away from C Francisco Cervelli, according to manager Clint Hurdle. Cervelli had hamate surgery in July and has dealt with several minor injuries all year. . OF Gregory Polanco did not play with a stiff neck. He had previously missed three games with a facial contusion following a collision with the wall in left field.UP NEXTCubs: Rob Zastryzny (1-0, 0.79 ERA) will make his first career start. In seven career appearances, his longest outing is 3 2/3 innings. Zastryzny started 14 games for Triple-A Iowa this season with a 7-3 record and a 4.22 ERA.Pirates: Ivan Nova (12-8, 4.37 ERA) has lost two straight starts after winning his first five decisions with the Pirates since coming over from the New York Yankees at the trade deadline. He has given up 11 runs (nine earned) and 18 hits over seven innings in his last two starts. Cheap Black Friday Shoes .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. Wholesale Black Friday Shoes . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. https://www.shoesblackfriday.com/ . -- The proud fathers huddled near the Dallas Stars dressing room, smiling, laughing and telling stories while wearing replica green sweaters of their sons team. Black Friday Shoes Deals . Its the second straight game Bell has scored in extra time for Kelowna, which beat the Brandon Wheat Kings 6-5 on Friday, and he now has four game-winning goals on the season. Black Friday Shoes China . "Jeff is a hard worker who was an important special-teams contributor for us last season," said Stamps GM John Hufnagel.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! Hi Kerry, As a fellow ref, and one was always compared to you (because of my hair) I ask you this; prior to the recent change in what constitutes a hooking penalty where just touching a player in the midsection can result in a hooking call, my criteria in calling a hook was: Did it impede the players progress? Did it cause a change of possession? Did it cause an injury? Did it materially affect the game? If not, then I wouldnt call it. There may be an exception that doesnt one to mind, but essentially, thats what I chose to do. In the game last night leading up to the winning goal, Jaromir Jagr reached in and clearly hooked Evgeni Malkin (in my opinion), resulting in a change of possession. You could tell because as Malkin was pushing with his legs to take off with the puck and as Jagr reached in with his stick and pulled, Malkins body position went from leaning forward in a driving forward motion to being erect and his forward progress was obviously altered by that action. He lost the puck to Jagr as a result of that hook. Jagr was closer to his offensive zone. Because of that hook, when he snagged the puck, he was closer to the Penguin goal than Malkin was and it gave him an advantage which he used to start the play for the winning goal. So finally, my question...even in an OT playoff game, should a hook have been called? Bill Totten --- Kerry, Thank you for the insight you give us everyday and the thought process you give us of an NHL referee. Last night on the Boston Bruins overtime goal there was a clear hook on Evgeni Malkin by Jaromir Jagr. Jagrs stick was to the midsection of Malkin and there was also a tug which led to the Bruins coming back and getting the winner. All year long including the playoffs we have seen far less hooks be called for a penalty. Why was this not called? Shouldnt the same rules be applied regardless if its the first period or OT? By calling the game differently in OT then it would be in the first arent they ruining the integrity of the game? Thank you,Angelo Vamvakas Bill and Angelo: The is no way anyone can put a positive spin on the non-call (video link) in double overtime that turned the puck over and resulted in the game winning goal by Patrice Bergeron of Boston. As both of you alluded to, Jaromir Jagr clearly reached and hooked Evgeni Malkin through the hands and then up under the armpit. As Jagr pulled back with his stick, Malkins forward progress was stalled, stutter-stepped and his body twisted from the hook. Jagr then gained possession of the puck and reversed the flow on the attack to set up the game-winning goal. The expectation is (and should be) that obvious infractions will be called at any time of the game. There was give and take in this hard fought game and both sides gained some advantages from a generous standard of enforcement that was extended to them.dddddddddddd. Once players enter a relative comfort zone that the Refs are allowing them to play and anything short of a scoring opportunity or a puck shot over the glass will be called they often take advantage of everything they can. This turnover of the puck was at the red line; just short of 100 feet from either goal. Jagr gambled that he could get away with the hook in double overtime. His leap of faith paid off for him and the Boston Bruins as they took a commanding 3-0 lead in the series. Since the play took place at the red line and on a puck carrier (which is a visual transition zone for the Refs) it would be next to impossible if at least one Referee was not focused directly on the action. Its even highly probable that four eyes would have had a look at the play from different vantage points. The Referee on the same side of the ice in the Penguins zone (trailing Malkin) might have had an obstructed view looking through Jagrs back as the hook was administered. Theoretically, the best view would be drawn with an angle on the play by the lead Ref on the opposite side of the ice. Perhaps neither Ref had a clear sightline on the play. If that was the case, one or both of them should have! I can appreciate the pressure the Officials feel as the game extends into double OT. Every decision they make is crucial and magnified at this point of the game. No Ref wants to be accused of making a weak call that decides the game. Also keep in mind, penalties were being called in both overtime periods. In the first extra period, coincidental minor penalties were called on Milan Lucic and Matt Cooke followed by power play opportunities when Chris Kelly was whistled for tripping and Brooks Orpik for high-sticking before Evgeni Malkin got the automatic delay of game for shooting the puck over the glass. Boston was assessed a too many men on the ice near the start of the second overtime period. Most likely no one remembers these calls or that the Referees were performing their duties as expected. What will be remembered, at least by the Penguins and their fans, is the old school attitude of letting the players decide the outcome of the game that crept back last night; if only for just one non-call. Following the 2004-05 lockout, the expectation was for a more consistent standard to be implemented; especially on restraining fouls. The new way dictated that a Referee would get in less trouble for what he called as opposed to what he didnt. This held true last night in Boston. Bill and Angelo, the Referees have to make a call such as this at anytime throughout the game. When they do, they need to be supported by the entire hockey community. Lets not ever hear again the old adage to, "let the players decide the outcome of the game." ' ' '