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It's too soon to judge the new enforcement. Let's give it some time. The NHL players complained quite a bit at first too I believe, and now it is well accepted. Give it a chance, some time, etc. I know I'll complain too at times, but I thinnk we need to give this a fair shot.

the whole key to the rule change is consistantcy throughout, it is only natural for player to push there boundry's to find out how far they can go, it is up to ALL the referees to call ALL the games under the same set of boundry's. when the calls vary from period to period it's hard to teach the kids what is right and what is wrong. I see some games are called very tightly and some games where anything goes...isn't there a happy medium on how the game should be called. Once the officials get consistant then the players will fall in line

Agreed 100%!

ghshockeyfan wrote:Well, I found out tonight that indeed some Refs Will Call Things Tightly This Season...

My team took 9 penalties in the last 19 minutes of our game, and the shot count went from 22-5 at that point to 24-24 by game's end. Almost all the calls were hooking as was expected to be watched closely under the new rule set.

I went and watched a few minutes of NSP/Park too tonight, and it looked like a little more was being let go there than where I was in the W metro. When I left it was 2-0 NSP with about 2 minutes left and NSP just wrapping up a PP.

Check out the penalty count in this one. Amazingly, the shots still ended up equal...

http://www.esportsdesk.com/leagues/hock ... eID=333715

Now I've seen two games where they call everyting and two where they call almost nothing... And in consecutive nights...

I just wish we wouldn't see any more "home field advantage" refs.

Unfortunately, I already saw it last week...

Two obviously incorrect call on goals.

T

The inconcistancy is what is going to be hard about it all. That and I feel that some of these reffs are mistaking body positioning and angling for obstruction, at least from what I have seen. If they are going to take out body contact all together, it will make for some interesting games.

I heard through someone else that Lake Conf. officials may have received a letter instructing them to essentialy call more obstruction penalties no matter how many???

No offense to the reff's but YUCK!! They really need to let the girls start having some light checking if they are going to call evertything obstruction the way they are.

Now I have been to 5 games, and 5 or better scrimmages, and it appears to me that at some games they are also spotting out certain players, and really keeping a tight watch on those few, and unfortunately those seem to be the better players on the ice. Are they maybe trying to even games out a bit at all?

All they need to do is apply the same standards as the NHL. Watch out for the hooking/tugging/slashing, and the obstruction interference stuff. However, let them battle in the corners, and let them rub each other out along the boards as long as the puck is near.

I don't miss the stickwork, and the holding/obstruction. The game is quicker and more fun to watch. The refs just need to be careful not to go too far overboard and make stupid calls when a kid falls down.

Rube

The better players are naturally more aggressive. Over the years they have been taught how to use their sticks to obstrct other players and to take the puck away from them. All fine when that is they way the game was called but now they need to learn to use their talent and speed to do the same thing without resorting to the stick work. Isn't the point of the new emphasis to allow those same top players more freedom? Somewhat ironic isn't it...

hockeyrube7 wrote:...it appears to me that at some games they are also spotting out certain players, and really keeping a tight watch on those few, and unfortunately those seem to be the better players on the ice. Are they maybe trying to even games out a bit at all?

A state-wide mandate to take the better players out of the game? Not likely.

Refs have always kept their eyes on the most physical players. Once a players' been called for a penalty, they're more likely to be scrutinized for the rest of the game, just ask my son, (who deserved the penalties and scrutiny.) The better players who are able to play the physical game always get away with what they can, and occasionally cross the line. As long as the refs are consistant, they'll learn what they can and can't do. That's part of being one of the bettter players.

I agree completely, and it would be a sad day if there were a mandate of that sort.

I agree with how they want the rules to be called, and it will make the game better, in the long run. But I have seen kids simply rubbing players out, or angling them off the puck, and getting called for holding, interference, or body checking, are these the things they want to do away with? And yet at times let it all go, especially as the closer games get deep in to the 3rd period. On the positive side, I have seen that hooking is being called more like it should be also.

I guess all in all, it will take the reff's some time to adjust also. My main issue, if there is one, is still the same as it always has been, call the game the same in last minute as you did in the first minute. Nothing worse than inconcistancy!

What it looks like to me is that all the old hooking, slashing, obstruction goes on like it did, but if a player retaliates, it gets called. Retalation is obviously something that a player shouldn't do - so I have no problem if that gets called. However, what I've seen is refs calling LOTS of ticky-tack penalties but missing the obstruction, which is the #1 point of the whole rule enforcement action, I believe.

I've seen one player with a moving pick right in front of the goal wipe out a defender and a player come from behind and score with no call. I see players caught from behind with hooking on the hands with no calls. I thought that was the whole point of the crackdown.

Don't call penalties for the sake of penalties - call the ones that prevent someone who is moving with the puck, and has beaten someone, from getting pulled, hooked, etc.

I agree with all, except I have notice more hooking being called the right way, so far, the rest is up in the air a bit. But the rest is very true, and again, are they mistaking good angling and body positioning for obstruction? From what I have seen so far, I would have to say YES!

It just seems to me, this was my point earlier, and it has been true in every game I've seen so far, they are making the tighter calls on the more dominant team and the more dominant players on that team. I don't think there is a mandate to do so, but I have watched plenty of games so far, both with and with out personal involvement, and it seems to stand true in most cases. But maybe that is just because of what was posted earlier, that the more physically active players are bound to get called more?

FWIW I've seen a lot of "hooking" called that should have been simple interference. That bothers me greatly. I have kids asking why they were called for hooking, and the only thing I can say is that they should ahve called it interference. Interesting to say the least. I think that we're all going to have to take some time to acclimate. For me, the toughest thing is knowing how much to tell the kids to back off day-to-day and even period-to-period. And, I don't have a problem with 20-25 penalties in a game, but usually they should be relatively evenly distributed. 17-4 penalty count last game was the worst one way that I've ever seen it. We had a 13-9 count in game 1, and that wasn't so bad. Then, two games inbetween these two that were more like last year.

I have no idea what to expect when I see a Lake Conf opponent next week. Should be interesting.

Consistancy is the key, I've noticed that the officials are almost trying to control the outcome of the game rather than just control the game.When one team seems to be getting there game togeather there will be a penalty, when a team is behind they seem to let some of the stuff go. It's almost becoming like basketball where the game is called differently from one period to next and from one player to the next.....consistancy is the key!!!

I used to complain a lot about officiating in close games (because I lost so many I suppose). The game should be called the same at end as beginning, etc. - but you always hope that penalties at the end of a close game aren't even questionable.

I agree, and I guess that was what I was trying to say in my earlier post. Again, call the 1st minute the same as the last minute. Call it the same from team to team, and player to player. Let the kids decide the games.

And again on the reff's behalf, they have to have time to adjust also, I would guess. Just a bit frustrating in the mean time.

I want to be clear that I'm not trying to be negative towards officials with this commentary. I have a lot of respect for the officials as I could never do their job well, let alone at all! Anyone who has seen me ref a scrimmage can testify to my lack of officiating skills. So, I guess who am I to question officials that much? Right? And, I always make a point of informing the opposing team that I'm an awful official before the scrimage just so there aren't any (high?) expectations... I understand that the officials have a better perspective and position to make calls than I do from the bench with limited sightline/angle and also I'm not exactly objective as coach of a team involved... I'm probably overly hard on the refs sometimes and was especially so in my younger days - but not usually hard on them until I really feel that we'd been wronged repeatedly and very badly with support from the rest of my coaching staff. Often, after the fact, the order of if we were wronged before or after I get on them is misconstrued, but it's immaterial. I figure I'll settle down a bit after age 30 and hopefully none of the refs will remember too much from my early days as else then I'm in trouble!

The new rules enforcement is going to take some time to acclimate to.

I agree, I could never do a good job at calling a game either, and the only critizisum I have for officials is when one team is getting called on the little stuff more than the other team.

Apparently someone forgot to tell the crew at Stillwater last night about the rule changes !!!!! It looked like an NHL game from 3 yrs ago !! They looked the other way most of the night. Their was lots of obstruction, and lots of nasty stuff going on in front of the nets, not to mention some flat out tripping calls that were missed right in front of the ref's. This crew was terrible - worst I have seen in the past several years.

As others have already mentioned on this thread, the lack of consistency from one crew to another is going to be a problem. I know it's a tough job, but they have got to work toward a more consistent application of the rules. They have done it in the NHL, and the WCHA, so they can certainly do it in the MSHSL.

I saw the BK/SHAK & SSP/PL games last night and in both the officiating was great.

I agree fully with hockeyrube, (on the stillwater forest lake game) that crew was outright bad, words can't describe how awfull they were. Many scoring chances were missed and created by the numerous non calls.
It is very frustrating for the players when the calls are so different from game to game.

It is somewhat inconsistant (penalty calling). Games we saw this weekend were dominated by penalties. Coaches weren't even able in all cases to keep a power play line out there because the PP was on the ice so much, they were exhausted.

I think it will take until a little bit into the season to see if things get more consistant.

There are way too many calls being made... The girls can't even play two minutes anymore without a penalty being called. This is turning into girl's lacrosse, where you can't make any contact at all.