Jon Campion: Gopher's Best Friend

[The Whistler]

According to college hockey stats Minnesota has had 165 power plays and only had 141 penalty kills. That's a differential of 24.

I got to wondering how much of this is due to last nights referee, Jon Campion.

Campions reffed 6 different games with the gophers with a pretty consistent result.

Against Maine he called 8 on Maine and 7 on the Gophers. (1)

Against Michigan State he called it even; 5 a side. (0)

Against Michigan he called it in Minnesota's favor by 8 to 4. (4)

Against Mankato he called the two nights in the Gophers favor by 7-3 and 10-5. (9)

Last night against the Sioux he again called it in Minnesota by 12-7. (5)

In only one game (Michigan State) did he call a game even, in no case did he call a penalty disadvantage for the Gophers.

In the games that Campion didn't officiate the teams the Gophers played had 4.5% more penalties than the Gophs. In the games that Campion did officiate the Gopher's opponenets had 61% more calls made against them then went against the Gophers.

Now I admit this may have a flaw in that two of the teams (Mankato and UND) take a lot of penalties. Still I think this is reason to express concern.

[AZSIOUX]

campion sucks azz, adam sucks MEGA azz and sheppard sucks azz too

we killed so many damn penalties last night, wow..........he calls every stick infraction there is, guess we have to keep the sticks free

[Goon]

I am with you Whistler but I am sure anyone else will be. Personally I think the Gophers get preferred treatment and they will the rest of the way.

They have to sell tickets for the final five. They have over 1.38 million in revenue, I saw that over on western college hockey.

[Siouxdonyms]

According to college hockey stats Minnesota has had 165 power plays and only had 141 penalty kills. That's a differential of 24.

I got to wondering how much of this is due to last nights referee, Jon Campion.

Campions reffed 6 different games with the gophers with a pretty consistent result.

Against Maine he called 8 on Maine and 7 on the Gophers. (1)

Against Michigan State he called it even; 5 a side. (0)

Against Michigan he called it in Minnesota's favor by 8 to 4. (4)

Against Mankato he called the two nights in the Gophers favor by 7-3 and 10-5. (9)

Last night against the Sioux he again called it in Minnesota by 12-7. (5)

In only one game (Michigan State) did he call a game even, in no case did he call a penalty disadvantage for the Gophers.

In the games that Campion didn't officiate the teams the Gophers played had 4.5% more penalties than the Gophs. In the games that Campion did officiate the Gopher's opponenets had 61% more calls made against them then went against the Gophers.

Now I admit this may have a flaw in that two of the teams (Mankato and UND) take a lot of penalties. Still I think this is reason to express concern.

Where I don't think Campion is the best ref by any means, and a few of the calls last night were questionable (though 2 of the penalties were called by the AR), I didn't think he favored the Gophers too much. A lot of the penalties last night were because of how wired the Sioux were. They were very into that game, and played the Gophers very tight, which sometimes led to too tight.

The Gophers have a very quick team this year, and a lot of teams are trying to hold or hook them to slow them down, and they're being called for it. Yes, they get away with their share of non-calls, and it has seemed like those non-calls have come at the most crucial time in a game, but overall, I think the skill level of the Gophers is causing other teams to take the penalties. Okposo draws quite a few, just like Oshie does for us. I guess I'd rather see the refs call the clutching and grabbing than letting it go on, which does not allow fans to see a good team. The Gophers remind me of the late 90 Sioux teams, however then, SCSU continually clutched and grabbed and got away with it. Can't have it both ways.

We got the win last night. Fans will always find something wrong with the ref. It usually comes from the losing teams fans more than the winning teams fan, but in this case, Campion made it obvious to everyone that we were the better team last night, by putting us on the PK for 11 times, compared to the Gophers 6 times.

[The Whistler]

Why would that only show up in the games that Campion officiates?

[Schmitzzz]

Let's quit bitching about the refs... it really makes Sioux fans look like cry babies. There were maybe a few qestionable calls last night, but let it go. The Sioux won the game. Sioux have to play a more disiplined game tonight.

[willistonsioux]

Let's just play a cleaner game. Now maybe there won't be so much grabbing on Toews and Oshie.

[AZSIOUX]

Let's quit bitching about the refs... it really makes Sioux fans look like cry babies. There were maybe a few qestionable calls last night, but let it go. The Sioux won the game. Sioux have to play a more disiplined game tonight.

yes we did win.......

[dagies]

You admitted that the two teams with the larges discrepancy were teams that normally commit a fair number of penalties anyway. That leaves Michigan as unexplained but maybe that just an exception. Overall, a difference of 24 is only about 1.5 per game on average.

We fans complain about Toews and Oshie getting mugged, clutched and grabbed, and then we complain when the games are called too tight. Woog made a good point last night when LaPanta was relating a conversation Hakstol had with Campion essentially saying he'd rather not have every ticky tacky call made.

Well, there is some validity to that, but like Woog said, you get to the NCAA tournament and they call the games really tight and then you are complaining that the officiating is much tighter than it was during the season.

I've watched the game almost 3 times now, and most of the calls I cannot argue with. I do think Bostrom dived on one call. You could maybe argue a couple of calls but mostly it looked ok to me. My 3rd time watching Kaip's penalty it does look like he tried to give Briggs an elbow as he goes over him.

Hopefully tonite the Sioux won't be in that position quite so much.

After trying to refute your argument so far, I will say this. After reading your post and seeing the information you put forth, you have swayed me a little bit in your direction, more than I would have expected when I read the thread title.

That said, we have to be very careful what we ask for. If we want our star players left alone, we have to put up with a lot more penalties being called, and many of them will be on our team. We have to live with that until the teams adjust.

[THETRIOUXPER]

I will agree with one thing. That is, we had more penalties called on us than minny did on them. However, some of them were due to our own stupidity again. Not going to mention any names here (#24, with the "C" on his jersey, then pretending your innocent.) The fact of the matter is, you want less calls, start playing a little more disciplined. Especially players that should know better by now like #'s 24 and 26.

[Goon]

I want the transcripts of the Champion and Hakstol conversation.

Lapanta said it was colorful. I think that is funny.

[farce poobah]

I want the transcripts of the Champion and Hakstol conversation.

Lapanta said it was colorful. I think that is funny.

This is what I got:

Hakstol: "Have another donut, you're looking too thin."

Campion: "If you think its easy out here, grab a whistle."

Hakstol: "Sorry, my seeing eye dog doesn't skate. Too bad yours doesn't either."

Campion: "Take it easy bro."

Hakstol: "I can't, my team is sick of Bogus Calls. ©"

Campion: "See ya at Blarney's?"

Hakstol: "Yup, I have to make sure the bouncers are enforcing NCAA rules in an honest and open manner."

[sagard]

It's because we pay him.

I wouldn't worry about it too much, unless that is what you like to do. The Sioux have done pretty well vs. the Gophers lately.

[The Whistler]

I will agree with one thing. That is, we had more penalties called on us than minny did on them. However, some of them were due to our own stupidity again. Not going to mention any names here (#24, with the "C" on his jersey, then pretending your innocent.) The fact of the matter is, you want less calls, start playing a little more disciplined. Especially players that should know better by now like #'s 24 and 26.

Did I or anyone say that we should have not had a single penalty called on us?

[THETRIOUXPER]

Did I or anyone say that we should have not had a single penalty called on us?

No you didn't come out and say it, but your post certainly tries to point a finger in that direction. I'm only saying that in regards to lot's of penalties being called on us, we are our own worst enemy sometimes.

[siouxnami]

A agreed with almost every call made on both teams last night. The Sioux had more penalties, because they were far more aggressive. The also the penalties would have been far closer if the Sioux would have kept their sticks down (Fabian, Bina) and not been dumb 100 ft away from the play (Radke). BTW for Bina to get a high sticking penalty, that takes alot of effort. I think the Sioux got a huge break, because in the third with time to spare the Sioux had a delayed penalty on them and there was a pretty clear trip there after and I think the Gophers should have had a 5x3, but they only called the first. The only call that I question was Kaip, I'm not saying it was wrong, just unusual. If every game was called like that UND would be scoring a ton of goals and UAA would be winless...

[THETRIOUXPER]

I really had no problem with the way the game was officiated last night. These teams are both well skating up and down the ice teams. They play an up tempo style. It's not like watching the clutch and grab fest you get when you are playing mankato, tech, or aa.

[Smoggy]

I really had no problem with the way the game was officiated last night. These teams are both well skating up and down the ice teams. They play an up tempo style. It's not like watching the clutch and grab fest you get when you are playing mankato, tech, or aa.

I'm surprised you haven't brought this up. And maybe it's just me, but in the third Oshie had a great shortie breakaway chance at the blueline and was mugged trying to get across the line. He was being grabbed more than a two dollar hooker.

[Siouxdonyms]

I'm surprised you haven't brought this up. And maybe it's just me, but in the third Oshie had a great shortie breakaway chance at the blueline and was mugged trying to get across the line. He was being grabbed more than a two dollar hooker.

Maybe I'm thinking of another, but the one clear chance I remember, the Gopher defenseman made a nice open ice hip check. I've watched the game 3 times, and hit rewind a few times on that, as PCM said Oshie was tripped, but looking back on it, it was a very nice open ice hit.

[redwing77]

These teams are both well skating up and down the ice teams. They play an up tempo style. It's not like watching the clutch and grab fest you get when you are playing mankato, tech, or aa.

I agree with this

As to how last night's game was officiated, I don't know. I didn't get to listen to too much of the game. TH wasn't saying anything about the officiating job and he's usually good for a few comments for what little I did hear (and what I did hear was basically UND on the PK).

Campion is by FAR not the worst official in the WCHA and something tells me that, if Adam were officiating Minnesota wouldn't have gotten called on a few of the ones they did get called on and there would have been talk of at least two checking from behind penalties that went uncalled.

Remember, 2 of the penalties (even if they were good calls) were made by the ARs. And there is no rule that it must even up in penalties.

From what I read in these threads here and on USCHO, UND made it more difficult to play 5 on 5. Hard for me to admit such a thing because I'm so anti-WCHA official, but it is true.

We have to play smarter tonight or I'll guarantee you UMN won't let those bounces slide by.

[The Whistler]

Maybe I'm thinking of another, but the one clear chance I remember, the Gopher defenseman made a nice open ice hip check. I've watched the game 3 times, and hit rewind a few times on that, as PCM said Oshie was tripped, but looking back on it, it was a very nice open ice hit.

TH said that that check was a trip, but it looked like the Gopher got his hip underneath TJ's hip and lifted him up that way. Good hit IMO.

Most of my problems with Campion were not in the third period.

[THETRIOUXPER]

I'm surprised you haven't brought this up. And maybe it's just me, but in the third Oshie had a great shortie breakaway chance at the blueline and was mugged trying to get across the line. He was being grabbed more than a two dollar hooker.

Yeah, that was questionable. TJ made a good hustle play after he fell down/got tripped or whatever. You don't always get all the breaks. Sometimes you gotta keep working your ass off and the breaks will start to come your way.

[The Whistler]

My original post was greeted with a bit more skepticism than I expected. Because of that I decided to research Campion's record of officiating the Gophers from last season.

To do this I went through every box score for the Minnesota season last year. I counted up the power plays for and against the Gophers. I kept these figures in two categories, one with Campion officiating and one with everyone else. Campion officiated six games that the Gophers played in, Duluth, Denver and the Sioux.

In the games Campion called he gave Minnesota forty-four power plays to their opponents 26. In every game Minnesota had an advantage. Minnesota had 70% more power plays then they had penalty kills. That's very similar to the number I found for the Gopher season through Friday and last nights game was only going to grow this discrepancy.

During the rest of the season Minnesota had 206 Power plays and 189 Penalty Kills. However in their game against Union they had an advantage of 11-2. Counting that game in they had 9% more power plays. If I throw that one game out of the mix Minnesota only had 4.2% more Power Plays than their opponent which is right in line with the Gophers current season.

Another interesting factor is that Minnesota played all three of these teams (Denver, Duluth and the Sioux) twice; and in two of those series' other games the Gophers had a disadvantage in the penalty category. Yes Derek Sheppard gave us the advantage in penalties but IMO he cost us the Friday game because of being out of position in a goal disallowed by TJ and allowed goalie interference by the Gophers. (Am I digressing here?)

So does two years make a trend?

[luapsided]

The best call of the night is the tripping/hooking penalty on us when I think the puck hit a goofers skate and he fell. A stick wasn't even close to him and we got a penalty. Campion, if hes on the ice, you might as well dive! Anyone who falls will draw a penalty I guess

[HockeyMom]

What was the difference in penalties last night?

And I'm sorry, you don't have to be a Sioux fan to realize that the officiating was a lopsided 5 gallon bucket of el crappo last night.