New Ref's for next years D3 Frozen 4 Please

[icemom5]

The kids deserve better, let them play and fight through the bumbs, accidental collisions, and the little things that just slow up the game. All 4 teams this year felt the impact of some awful calls made by the refs at this years FF, some more than others but I think everyone can agree the games could been called a bit better. The refs need to go back to ref school..

[stickman]

Agreed, many times its not just the bad calls that affect the outcome of a game but the obvious non calls that bring a teams spirits down, as if all their opponent can do no wrong.

Why not bring in totally neutral refs (and I know they are supposed to be neutral but they never completely are)

Let the ladies play I say

[obserbear]

Here is a quote from the 2006-08 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations, Rule 4/Penalties, HR-49, located in Section 3:49 (page 50 of 183) on the NCAA.org website:

c. The appropriate on-ice official shall use a “delayed whistle” when a
foul is committed against the team in possession of the puck, thereby
postponing the stoppage of play until the offending team shall have
possession and control of the puck.
The last player to control the puck, other than the goalkeeper, is the
last player to be deemed in possession of the puck. Control of the puck is
defined as the act of propelling the puck with the stick, hand or skate.
Possession and control is not a rebound off the goalkeeper, an opposing
player, the goal or the boards or any incidental contact with the body or
equipment of an opposing player. Batting the puck with the hand or kicking
the puck is considered to be controlling the puck. Touching the puck (e.g.,
poke check or deflection) is not considered control of the puck.

When the officials in the Women's DIII Championship final cannot get this type of situation called correctly, then the players and coaches clearly deserve a higher caliber official. To announce a goal being disallowed due to possession of the puck, when the rule states a rebound off the goalkeeper is not possession, is absurd. The women who play the game deserve much better.

[SeymoreHockey]

OMG...get over it.

The game's over...a champ's been crowned...the best team won...now it's time to go golfing!

Sheesh!!!

[SHUCrosscheck]

When the officials in the Women's DIII Championship final cannot get this type of situation called correctly, then the players and coaches clearly deserve a higher caliber official. To announce a goal being disallowed due to possession of the puck, when the rule states a rebound off the goalkeeper is not possession, is absurd. The women who play the game deserve much better.

Kara Buehler played the puck on the no goal. She mis hit with her stick and didn't get as much blade on it as she would have liked but there was clearly I play. I was close enough to see.

[aerogroup2]

The kids deserve better, let them play and fight through the bumbs, accidental collisions, and the little things that just slow up the game. All 4 teams this year felt the impact of some awful calls made by the refs at this years FF, some more than others but I think everyone can agree the games could been called a bit better. The refs need to go back to ref school..

It would be interesting to know how the NCAA picks the refs for the Frozen Four.

The following were officials for the Final Four at Plattsburgh:

Referee(s): Rich Yarmy, Jeff Shie, Dave Lick, Julie Piacentini
Asst. Referee(s): Mark Siciliano, Tim Linder

Julie Piacentini certainly has the credentials!
Google searches found these:

Shie and Linder reffed some games for Gustavus Adolphus.

“Piacentini, a two-time Olympic linesman, currently officiates women’s hockey for the East Coast Athletic Conference and Hockey East. She also coaches the defending national champion women’s Senior A squad.”

Rich Yarmy may be from New Rochelle, NY

Dave Lick reffed a game between Concordia and WEC.

[obserbear]

Kara Buehler played the puck on the no goal. She mis hit with her stick and didn't get as much blade on it as she would have liked but there was clearly I play. I was close enough to see.

I was a couple of feet to the Plattsburgh goalies gloveside on the mezzanine, looking down on the net, and I did not see the play you are describing (nor did others in discussing the play post wave-off). What was your vantage point? Has anyone watched the video?

[SHUCrosscheck]

I was a couple of feet to the Plattsburgh goalies gloveside on the mezzanine, looking down on the net, and I did not see the play you are describing (nor did others in discussing the play post wave-off). What was your vantage point? Has anyone watched the video?

I was on the goalie stick side about 3 feet up ice from GLE. On the side that the puck was played. Although now I am thinking about it maybe it was Bowler.

[Save the Jets]

I was situated on the Mezz. above the NCAA Committee group; what I saw was not 'possession and control' and the reactions of the off-duty officials from the bronze game to my comment about 'possession and control' looked like 'knowing nods'. In my opinion, the whistle was blown too early, but that the ultimate wave-off was correct based on the timing of the whistle vs puck entering the net. Stuff happens.

As to the general quality of the officiating, I believe that the NCAA/USA 2 referee, 1 linesman system tends to create more penalties called than should be, with often glaring inconsistencies . I feel that the influence of one ref calling penalties based on his/her judgment will affect the 2nd ref into looking for infractions, rather than just calling the game using sound judgment and strong positioning to enforce the rules.

This trend was in evidence in the Plattsburgh/Elmira semi-final, where there were bunches of calls made by one ref (Shie).....followed by several from the other (Yarmy). I do not think that bias or favoritism comes into play; I believe that the officials do try their best to do a good job; it's hard when the team of 2 referees needs to be on the same wave-length when judging hockey plays, at a high speed, all the while still needing to get into position to act as a 2nd linesman. I don't believe that the NCAA, or other USA Hockey Leagues have the resources (training, number of officials, performance reviews/mentoring, etc) to make this system work well; it has taken the NHL several seasons to get a 2 ref system to improve to the point that it does not get in the way of the hockey. For these reasons, I like the 1 ref, 2 linespersons system for NCAA.

Final comment: Congrats to all the student athletes for a terrific weekend of hockey, especially the graduating seniors on 4 years of hard work, competition and education.:p