The on ice officials have a tough and thankless job. They get critiqued and fans boo and they take blame from home fans over every call against their team. I admit I have booed a few times myself.
Last night there was a pivotal moment in our game when a goal was scored against us because the puck was redirected after it hit an on ice official’s boot. I was deflated but then the on ice officials met and conferred and the goal was NOT allowed.
It is against the rules for a goal to be counted if it hits an official’s boot and goes in the net. I didn’t know that rule and I bet most people didn’t know it either.
The officials did the right thing and made a gutsy call and this time it was to our benefit. I have empathy for how hard an official’s job is with making fast moving subjective calls all of the time. This non goal helped propel us to a win last night and I am grateful that the refs were smarter than me in knowing all of the rules of the game.
Mr. Leonsis,
That was an excellent job by the officials to get the call correct. This rule also applies in my leagues that I officiate as well. Like in the NHL the rule usually does not come into question very often. Great officials have an enormous amount of knowledge about the rules, even the ones that do not often come up. It was also a sign that the officiating crew was very adept at what they do. Not only for the obvious reason of being NHL officials but because they were able to make a “gutsy” call that most people are unaware of. While I believe the correct call is never a gutsy one. As an official, someone on either side or sometimes on both sides is not going to think your call is right or popular one. It is also important that the officials converse between themselves to get the call right. This I believe should be done more often when necessary. As a fellow official it is good to hear accolades being directed towards officials. The job of officiating is harder than most people think. With an often ruckus crowd, coaches, and sometimes players can get to certain people. To referee you have to have a certain temperament and demeanor in tough situations. Again, great no goal by the referees!
Teddy, My son Billy has been refereeing roller hockey since he was 9yrs old & ice hockey since he was about 13yrs old. When he was young, parents would yell out “go home Ref, it’s bedtime”. Even at such a young age, he put on his “game face” or as he puts it now, “he goes into Ref mode” and stays completely focused on the moment. It’s about the game, the rules and the ability to make those calls on the spot. I call it a “Mind’s Eye” for hockey. In fact, he has said, he has used this demeanor and attitude many times off the ice as well. Yes, refereeing takes great courage and he absolutely loves it!! Let’s Go Caps!!!!!!!
On the other hand, why does this deserve mention? It’s their job to make this, the right call, and one that the ref who’s boot was hit should have had no problem intervening on and saying he caused the ricochet.
What the fans boo is when refs call ticky-tacky calls and don’t keep it consistent. If refs, particularly young refs, call these kinds of games, a lot of penalty’s that COULD have been called don’t. That game where we were called twice for closing the hand on the puck (of three in that game!) is a perfect example. Where Ovechkin swatted it toward his defensive zone, e.g. – 90% of the time this is allowed –
My point is that there needs to be consistency and when that doesn’t happen it really urks us fans. And it is particularly egregious because hockey refs have a knack for coming off as pompous on TV and always show an unwillingness to hear the player’s opinion. The fans, who are the lifeblood of the league, are also helpless and the only voice for the fans leads us right to you, Ted. You and Coach are the only two who can speak for us fans when the refs get it so blatantly wrong.