That's a relief!

[The Sicatoka]

I hate to beat a dead horse, but I just thought I'd point out the text from the official NCAA Ice Hockey Rule Book.

Rule 6, Section 23, Part b:

"Hitting from behind into the side boards, end boards or goal cage is a flagrant violation."

PENTALTY -- Major and game misconduct or disqualification.

Just something to point out, because the way I read this, there should have been no question on what call to make in that situation. 

I guess the ref's don't really know the rulebook the way they should.

Adam got around that by calling boarding:

Boarding

SECTION 3. A player shall not body check, cross-check, elbow, charge or trip an opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to be thrown violently into the boards (see 6-23).

PENALTY

[BigGreyAnt41]

Adam got around that by calling boarding:

[Mad Man]

Maybe if McLeod and the rest of suits don't get the need for enforcing the rules, perhaps we should sign these guys and allow them to enforce "The Rules".

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Too late they already signed with Denver.

[UMDDogz]

Bruce McLeod:  Specifically regarding the Robbie Bina incident, we are deeply concerned about the action of checking from behind and have made it a priority in all of our officiating clinics and coaches meetings.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Adam must have skipped that clinic to go to his "Living with Cataracts" support group.

[7>4]

This may have already been answered, but with four WCHA schools in the Frozen Four, what conference will the refs come from?

[redwing77]

This may have already been answered, but with four WCHA schools in the Frozen Four, what conference will the refs come from?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

From the pool of existing NCAA Regional officials, I'm sure.

[Wreckincrew]

[Fedorov]

This may have already been answered, but with four WCHA schools in the Frozen Four, what conference will the refs come from?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What better way for the WCHA teams to tell all the WCHA refs they suck, then to make sure they don't get to work any Frozen Four games.

[johndahl]

I've heard enough from players and coaches to strongly suspect that the WCHA teams would rather have eastern officials than WCHA officials for the tournament - the vast majority of players and fans want a clean, fair contest.

What better way for the WCHA teams to tell all the WCHA refs they suck, then to make sure they don't get to work any Frozen Four games.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Wreckincrew]

the vast majority of players and fans want a clean, fair contest.

So I guess that leaves Pau............never mind.

[Fetch]

  I really don't feel that the rhetoric regarding officials is at a higher level than earlier years

No because old man Sheppard was part of the problem since most of us can remember

[BismarckFan]

A major should not be an automatic disqualification for a game. The official should be allowed to make the disqualification call on the ice based on a conference with the other two zebras. If none of them see any "deliberate intent to harm", i.e. the number of steps toward the play, the degree of deliberateness, the presence of retaliation motivation, etc. it should be just a major. there are a lot of things the refs see that fans don't. Also, coincidental majors should be a rarity.

Every major should, however, be reviewed by the "committee" when possible. When the cameras are not present, the officials should err on the side of adding the disqualification.

And another thing that really bugs us fans is the tendency for an official to want to be the center of attention. The best officiated game is one in which we don't even notice the officials much. Some of the "attention" grabbing antics that burn us up are:

Not promptly dropping the puck.

Fraternizing with the players.

Showboating when issuing penalties.

Not getting out of the way of the play.

Maybe we need an age limit of 35 for officials so they can physically avoid the puck and to eliminate this ego trip stuff that takes the spotlight off the players?

Have I struck a chord?

[Goon]

I've heard enough from players and coaches to strongly suspect that the WCHA teams would rather have eastern officials than WCHA officials for the tournament - the vast majority of players and fans want a clean, fair contest.

A lot of people I have talked don't want every stinking penalty to be called so they would like to have WCHA officials. Shegos was horrible.

[Fedorov]

A lot of people I have talked don't want every stinking penalty to be called so they would like to have WCHA officials. Shegos was horrible.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is why they need NHL-style refs. They do call the obstruction, but they don't make calls just because it is too physical.

[dagies]

Not promptly dropping the puck.

That's one thing I've noticed a lot lately. The puck takes forever to drop, and inevitably one or both face-off men get tossed.

Now, maybe the problem with the puck drop is that the linesman is waiting for all the players to settle in.

However, it seems that the longer it takes to drop the puck, the more guys tend to get out of their spots, do some stickwork, and bam, someone gets tossed.

How about if they get the guys on the ice, the face-off men float up, and the puck gets dropped right away? Enough waiting around...

[Fetch]

I also have to admidt it is a Fun Part of the Game - taking it out on the Refs

[Hockey Brain]

The CFB called a Minor for Boarding is prevalant at all levels. Its taken the teeth out of the intent of the 2 and 10 and has given referees the "out" they need. My kid played at a Bantam level this season and was Checked From Behind on four occasions this season alone three of which were called boarding - we call it the "big boy call" cuz if your one of the bigger players on the ice they won't call a CFB. To say the least it is frustrating to see your kid get punished with illegal hits just for being bigger. Do you think if I started sending his chiropractor bills to the officials in question they'd get the hint? And yes, thirteen years as a level 3 Referee qualifies me to say all four were CFB. When I saw the highlight of the Bina hit I was stunned at Adam's call, how in the hell can he be WCHA material?

[PCM]

The CFB called a Minor for Boarding is prevalant at all levels.  Its taken the teeth out of the intent of the 2 and 10 and has given referees the "out" they need. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Good points. I don't understand the concept of having a 5-minute major and game DQ for checking from behind if refs don't call it when it happens. The penalty should fit the infraction.

If the league's goal is to cut down on the number of checks from behind, making the penalty less severe isn't the answer. Referees who won't make the call for the existing rule should be shown the door, not provided with a more palatable option.

[farce poobah]

I do agree with the earlier observation that it should be possible to call the major penalty without mandating a game misconduct or DQ. Major penalties used to be fairly common, now they aren't. Let's give the ref some standards but also flexibility.

[siouxtatoo42]

I do agree with the earlier observation that it should be possible to call the major penalty without mandating a game misconduct or DQ.  Major penalties used to be fairly common, now they aren't.  Let's give the ref some standards but also flexibility.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

how much more flexibility do the officials need......they just make s&!t up as they go

[skiumah2]

I think the biggest problem is referees don't want to penalize the team for the actions of a player. Think about it, if you're the ref working a game late in the 2nd period with the score tied in a conference final and a checking from behind occurs. You can either put that team a man down for 5 minutes with unlimited PPGs or you can call boarding while still penalizing the play. For some refs in some situations, that major call can be hard to make when there is a lesser alternative.

Instead of penalizing the team with a 5 minute major, what if a standard 2 minute power play is given but the player who committed the foul gets severely penalized. What if the player gets a DQ plus a 2 game suspension. Remember, the intent is to stop the infractions. If a player knows he's out for the game plus two more he's going to think twice about laying a hit from behind. Also, it somewhat takes the ref off the hook. He doesn't have to worry about putting a team down 5 minutes. He only has to issue a 2 minute minor to the team while he's escorting the guily player to the locker room. I really think that's the biggest hangup for refs. You take that out of the equation and guilty players will learn their lesson everytime they hit from behind. Not just the time they put someone in the hospital.

[dagies]

Very interesting idea.

[Snake]

I think the biggest problem is referees don't want to penalize the team for the actions of a player.  Think about it, if you're the ref working a game late in the 2nd period with the score tied in a conference final and a checking from behind occurs.  You can either put that team a man down for 5 minutes with unlimited PPGs or you can call boarding while still penalizing the play.  For some refs in some situations, that major call can be hard to make when there is a lesser alternative.

Instead of penalizing the team with a 5 minute major, what if a standard 2 minute power play is given but the player who committed the foul gets severely penalized.  What if the player gets a DQ plus a 2 game suspension.  Remember, the intent is to stop the infractions.  If a player knows he's out for the game plus two more he's going to think twice about laying a hit from behind.  Also, it somewhat takes the ref off the hook.  He doesn't have to worry about putting a team down 5 minutes.  He only has to issue a 2 minute minor to the team while he's escorting the guily player to the locker room.  I really think that's the biggest hangup for refs.  You take that out of the equation and guilty players will learn their lesson everytime they hit from behind.  Not just the time they put someone in the hospital.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We shouldn't have to take the refs off the hook when they're not the ones COMMITTING the infractions. I think a player would be more apt to learn his lesson if he cost his team a win and he had to deal with his teammates and coaches.

[siouxtatoo42]

[skiumah2]