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NEW YORK, N.Y. - NHL general managers made some progress toward implementing a coachs challenge system, but could not finalize plans to do so at their annual Stanley Cup final meeting. At this point the issue is trying to define what cases would be subject to challenges and how the process would work. Because of that, GMs sounded optimistic something would be agreed on, but there was no certainty about whether it would start next season or in 2015-16. "It would be related to a coachs challenge and so instead of jumping right into it, maybe everybody understands when the coaches are going to challenge," Jim Rutherford of the Pittsburgh Penguins said. "So maybe just try it internally for a year. These are real tough changes so you want to get it right." Coachs challenges and the possibility of expanded video review dominated Wednesdays meeting several blocks from Madison Square Garden on the day of Game 4 of the Cup final. One thing that seemed clear was that goaltender interference would not be part of any such changes because theres so much room for interpretation. "I think Commissioner (Gary) Bettman says it best: You want certainty, you want black-and-white where we can say, This is it and, This is not it," Don Maloney of the Phoenix Coyotes said. "Goals going over the line, thats certainty, black-and-white. When you start talking about goalie interference for example, now you start talking about judgment calls. ... Thats when it gets grey." What coaches might be able to challenge includes goals scored on plays that shouldve been offside, the puck hitting the protective netting, the wrong player getting penalized and the puck going over the glass for a penalty. Rutherford stressed that coachs challenges wont be there next season, while Maloney said he wasnt quite sure if it was too late for that possibility. That just added to the lack of clarity out of Wednesdays meeting. Discussions also centred on cracking down on embellishment, and changing the draft lottery for 2015-16 and beyond to be more like the NBAs that allows the first three picks to be attainable. Any draft-lottery changes would not go into effect until 2016, leaving the much-anticipated Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel 2015 event subject to the same system there is now. GMs gave their approval on those competition committee recommendations, including allowing a more liberal definition of kicked-in goals, expanding the trapezoid, doing a dry scrape of the ice and changing ends before overtime, and making some faceoff changes. Consensus wasnt so clear on expanded video review out of Torontos situation room or coachs challenges. One problem is the possibility of delaying games, which Major League Baseball is dealing with in its first season with replay beyond home runs. "We dont want games to be 3 hours long, 3 1/2 hours long," Maloney said. "I find myself going to football games with the stoppages there, I really cant stand it." One thing GMs did seem to agree on is the desire to have more correct calls. "Thats all were concerned about: making sure we get it right," Dale Tallon of the Florida Panthers said. "And then if we do further reviews, weve got to make sure that when we do the reviews, its black and white. Theres still a lot of grey areas in all of this stuff." The discussion will continue. The NHLs board of governors convenes later in June and must approve any changes along with the NHLPA executive committee. "Were on the right track. We just have to make sure what were doing is giving us the results we expect," Maloney said. "The coachs challenge, expanding video replay — those are the big topics right now and were still searching for ways to help the game, not hurt it." . -- Fantasy football owners and Denver Broncos fans can rest easy: Peyton Manning is back. . Murray, the defending champion and No. 3 seed, claimed his first match win at Queens in 2005 and went on to win the Wimbledon warmup three times. But he failed to take advantage of eight set points after leading the first-set tiebreaker 6-2, and Stepanek survived to convert with his second set point. .com) - Markus Granlund scored the game-winning goal as the Calgary Flames used an early offensive flurry to defeat the Los Angeles Kings, 2-1, on Monday. . -- Two out of three aint bad. .com) - The Toronto Raptors set their sights on a second straight victory with the Oklahoma City Thunder visiting the Air Canada Centre tonight riding a two game streak of their own. MILWAUKEE -- No confrontations. One hit batter. Two stars on the bench. The Milwaukee Brewers withstood the early exits of outfielders Carlos Gomez and Ryan Braun by pounding out 12 hits against Gerrit Cole and two Pittsburgh Pirates relievers in the teams first meeting since a benches-clearing brawl last month. Jonathan Lucroy hit a bases-loaded, two-run single and Marco Estrada had eight strikeouts through six choppy innings in the Brewers 5-2 win Tuesday night. "The other guys are getting on base," manager Ron Roenicke said. "When everybodys contributing it means were getting a lot of people on base through the lineup." Gomez scored the second run on Lucroys single in the third after getting hit by a changeup from Cole (3-3). No heated exchange of words on Tuesday, unlike April 20 when Cole and Gomez got into it on a play at third in Pittsburgh. Gomez and both managers had signalled they were over the ill will left over from a brawl that led to suspensions. Gomez even smiled at first after getting hit by the off-speed pitch in the third, and he scored three batters later on Lucroys bases-loaded single. Cole said he hasnt spoken with Gomez since the brawl, but that they did exchange nods before Gomezs first at-bat. "I think pretty much everybodys on the same page about this. I think weve all moved on," Cole said. Gomez left after the fifth with a tight back that began bothering him Monday. Braun was activated from the disabled list earlier Tuesday, and his departure after the sixth was planned as he gets acclimated in his return from a right oblique injury. Earlier Tuesday, third baseman Aramis Ramirez was placed on the disabled list with a pulled left hamstring. All those players down and the Brewers still scratched out five runs and the dozen hits throughout the lineup. Five came from reserves, including two apiece from the guys who replaced Braun and Gomez -- Khris Davis and the newly called-up Elian Herrera. "Everybodys contributing ... Its important to have that depth on the bench and have guys step up and get it going," Lucroy said. Neil Walker hit a solo homer that landed on the concourse beyond left-centre in the first to extend his hitting streak to five for Pittsburgh.dddddddddddd. It was one of six hits allowed by Estrada, who looked like he was having trouble much off the night locating his off-speed stuff. He needed 112 pitches to get through his outing, though Roenicke liked how Estrada missed low instead of instead down the middle when getting into trouble. "Threw some great pitches but just couldnt get it locked in where he could just go through an easy inning," Roenicke said. "He did a great job of making the pitches when he needed to and finished up with a real nice ballgame. Jean Segura added two hits, the second after a shot up the middle deflected off the mound and squirted in between first and second to allow Lucroy to score from second for a four-run lead in the seventh. Francisco Rodriguez tossed a hitless ninth for his 16th save, bouncing back from his first blown save on Sunday. Pitching has played a crucial role with Milwaukee racing out to a 25-14 mark and the NL Central lead -- all while enduring injuries to key hitters. Braun finished 0 for 2 with a walk, striking out swinging in the fifth with runners on second and third. Cole allowed seven hits, three walks and three runs in 5 2-3 innings. The right-hander with a fastball that reached 100 mph struck out six. "He had to do some yard work tonight in a couple of those innings with men on base and he showed up well," Hurdle said about his developing young hurler. Notes: The Brewers challenged an out call on Lyle Overbays grounder that deflected off the mound with one out and a runner on in the seventh. The call stood after a review of roughly 3 1/2 minutes. ...... Gomez and Pirates OF Travis Snider, who exchanged shoves during last months brawl, ran into each other at a Milwaukee steakhouse during an off day Monday. "We shook hands, he gave me a hug and everything is cool. ... No hard feelings," Gomez said before the game. ... Pittsburgh sends Francisco Liriano (0-3) to the mound Wednesday against Milwaukees Wily Peralta (4-2). ' ' '
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