LCS Hockey - Two-Referee System Causes Debate

Two-Referee System Causes Debate
Jason Sheehan, Washington Correspondent

Coming soon to an NHL arena near you are four zebras, including two referees and two linesmen.

The league, which has begun using two referees in pre-season games, plans to use two referees in 20 games this season. The remaining 62 games will be officiated by one referee.

The NHL hopes having two referees on the ice will help free space for elite players. Besides a likely increase in penalties early in the season, this system of officiating will help reduce the amount each referee skates per game from nine miles to 5.7 miles, according to Bryan Lewis, the NHL's director of officiating. The mileage is reduced, because one official will now only be responsible for covering half the ice, while his partner patrols the other zone. Yet, both referees can call penalties at their discretion.

Having two referees on the ice simultaneously does have its pros and cons. The pros? Cheap shop artists will now think twice before leveling an opponent behind the play and more goals will be scored. The cons? Get used to three-hour games due to the increased amount of penalties that will be called. And the added body on the ice is prone to getting in the way.

Both Saturday and Sunday's pre-season games between the Avalanche and the Kings at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas took three hours to complete. And that's pre-season. Imagine how long playoff games would last with two referees constantly blowing the play dead.

The system, however, does have its supporters.

"I think it's a good idea," Colorado's Peter Forsberg said. "They read the play really well. I think they're not going to be in the way that much. Hockey is so quick nowadays, and it might be good for them to try it and see if it's working or not."

Los Angeles' Luc Robitaille agrees: "I like that. It's harder for guys to cheat now. They're (referees) are going to be able to see what's going on behind the play. I personally like that. I don't know if it's going to [remain] that way but I hope it does."

After asked if four zebras are one too many, Robitaille grinned, saying, "It looks like a zoo out there."

Although players generally like the new system since it frees space for them to maneuver, Avalanche general manager Pierre Lacroix thinks otherwise. He has a different solution to help the state of the game.

"I think we should have a two referee system where the second referee should be up in the press box," he said. "[Two referees on the ice] is not something we should keep."

Kings coach Larry Robinson is siding with his players. He thinks having two referees on the ice encourages a free-flowing game. "It forces the guys to play the game and to play the game hard with no retaliation," he said.

However, what happens if a game is refereed by two men with conflicting styles?

"The rules are there to be called," Robinson said. "Everybody should have the same interpretation of the rules. I don't think it's a question of one guy seeing the rules any differently than anybody else. There's supposed to be straightforward rules that everybody understands."

Other changes to the NHL rulebook include two extra feet behind each net, four feet taken from the neutral zone and a goal crease that ends at each marsh peg.

"I'm not too crazy about changes," Lacroix said, "but as far as I'm concerned — as far as the goal crease — everything was done in order to help and help the fan understand the game better and also help the players that aren't even in the crease or are facing the goalie. It was done in the right fashion, definitely."

Forsberg, one of the elite NHL snipers, is hoping the extra two feet translates into more goals and a change of focus from goaltending to scoring.

"If you look at the goal [totals] from last year, it's ridiculous," he said. "It's good that they made a change."