Good Power Play needed

[Tipped Off]

....you better have a good one if you want to compete this year. I've watched all six of the games in Evt thiss wekend and that's the #1 story (that and how awful Portland has looked). In Everett's game tonight there were 33 power plays (evt 4 for 16, Loops 4 for 17).

Today was the first time for some of the refs running the two-ref system. The flow seemed a tad better as one offical could get things set up while the other called the penalties. I talked with Raphael (the official from game 1 this morning), he said the WHL brought in 12 *new* refs this offseason...of which he thought 10 would see action this year. He also said that game was his first ever in a two man ref system and of the six refs working today, they had a total of 4 games experience working a 2 man system between them. Two of the refs today were working their first ever WHL game. The *Smith* who worked game 2 (as opposed to Pat Smith who worked game 1 with Raphael) and Poole from the Tips game who worked with Thiesen. Raphael also said it was easy for the officials to see how bad Portland was struggling with the new rules. He said they were by far having the hardest time with it.

[Tipped Off]

This was posted by *woody* on the Silvertips board...

I have tried to keep track of the penalties for each game in the tournament. Here is what I basically show, thus far:

Game #1: Portland vs. Seattle: 22 Penalties
Game #2: Spokane vs. Kamloops: 41 Penalties
Game #3: Everett vs. Vancouver: 24 Penalties

Game #4: Portland vs. Vancouver: 27 Penalties
Game #5: Spokane vs. Seattle: 30 Penalties
Game #6: Everett vs. Kamloops: 41 Penalties
------------

As you can easily figure out, most of time in each game involves players in the penalty box! I understand about making rules to increase scoring, and (supposedly) fan excitement, but calling penalties every one-two minutes REALLY disrupts the flow of the game. How long will the refs continue this trend? 10 games? 15 games? The entire season (I don't think so)?

[Sput]

Sounds brutal to watch. Presaeason is usually like this though, maybe not to this extreme, with the refs clamping down on everything. Hopefully either the teams ALL clean things up, or the refs start letting the guys play the game. I don't mind if they call stick infractions, the hooking and slashing escpecially, but if they call penalties just because it says so in the manual, then its gone to far.

[Shooter]

I went to two days of the tourney in Everett, right now all the penalties are not alot of fun to watch. But to be honest this is going to be only as bad as the players make it. The sooner the players adjust to the enforcement of the rule book the sooner we can get back to 5 on 5 hockey. It was the same way in the NHL last season, PP's all game long and then around Christmas teams adjusted and the parade to the penalty box wasnt so long.

[GOBLADESGO#3 (among other aliases)]

yes thats wht notist

[ihlemic10]

yes thats wht notist

What are you trying to say?

[Tiger Trauma]

I think he ment

yes thats what i noticed?

[rinkrat]

Watching the NHL games last year,it seemed as if the refs had a quota.They were told to call 25-30 penalties per game.Obviously if you don't call that many,you are not doing your job...

[GOBLADESGO#3 (among other aliases)]

ya thats what i ment, sorry i was in a hurry lol

[LifelongChiefsFan]

I went to two days of the tourney in Everett, right now all the penalties are not alot of fun to watch. But to be honest this is going to be only as bad as the players make it. The sooner the players adjust to the enforcement of the rule book the sooner we can get back to 5 on 5 hockey. It was the same way in the NHL last season, PP's all game long and then around Christmas teams adjusted and the parade to the penalty box wasnt so long.

I agree. I know that some games do take longer, especially at the beginning of the season, but if the refs are consistent with their calls (and that's a big if in this league) then the players will adjust. Yes it does open the door for diving, but if it means a player can get a clean breakaway without being hooked and held from behind, then I think it is worth it.

[dondo]

Today was the first time for some of the refs running the two-ref system. The flow seemed a tad better as one offical could get things set up while the other called the penalties. I talked with Raphael (the official from game 1 this morning), he said the WHL brought in 12 *new* refs this offseason...of which he thought 10 would see action this year. He also said that game was his first ever in a two man ref system and of the six refs working today, they had a total of 4 games experience working a 2 man system between them. Two of the refs today were working their first ever WHL game. The *Smith* who worked game 2 (as opposed to Pat Smith who worked game 1 with Raphael) and Poole from the Tips game who worked with Thiessen. Raphael also said it was easy for the officials to see how bad Portland was struggling with the new rules. He said they were by far having the hardest time with it.

Its odd that Raphael was the veteran there because he was clearly (in my mind) the worst ref who had the least concept of what the rule book actually says -- during the pre-season tourney. He made so many invisible calls that it was laughable. Poole seemed particularly fond of the "interference" call especially just after a player checked a player along the boards when the puck was right there or was just passed. The refs also called two penalty shots on what were brilliant defensive plays -- if the puck is contacted before the player goes down its a good check.

So not only do they have a lot to adjust to they also need to re-read the rule book, cause there were so many "corner of the eye" calls (where the ref only catches part of the play but makes the call anyway) made because a player went down. I know being a referee esp in hockey is very tough job, but really they failed to instill a lot of respect from the fans who saw not only the crackdown, but the excessive over-reactions by referees on clean plays.

This season will be a learning curve for all concerned, but hopefully the refs get the idea of flow of the game as well -- cause watching 4 on 3's and 5 on 3's for four minute stretches is simply lame -- yes the players have to get the picture too, but there was some seriously over-zealous reffing this weekend. An average of 2 minutes of 5 on 5 a period? 40 some odd penalties -- often two on the same player in the same play yet different penalties. the old hold / trip penalty was especially amusing and roughings that had two players bumping elbows -- I mean really, crack down is one thing -- officiating on crack quite something else. :skeptical