Not that long ago I thought officiating in the WCHA had turned a corner. The league had just finished an experiment with cameras over the goals and was making the system league wide. The WCHA was calling obstruction and the game opened up for the top end players to showcase their skills. And more recently the league even experimented with a four official system on the ice.
But even with these positive factors showing the WCHA does care about the quality of the officiating we're left this season with not one but two controversial goals (DU at SCSU and UW at DU), technology or not, haunting the standings. Bruce McLeod and the league office are offering not much more than apologies.
Amidst this fiasco one (at least one) WCHA coach is calling for officiating to move to the NHL style of calls (strict enforcement). I do agree with this sentiment and believe it has to occur or the top end talent may stop coming to the WCHA, yet ....
I'm sorry Dave (and others): The WCHA office needs to figure out what is and isn't a goal before it can be credible in calling a style where a stick parallel to the ice and touching an opponent is a minor penalty.
I've stopped believing this WCHA administration is willing or capable of doing either any time soon.
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2 comments:
I continue to be amazed that the WCHA seems to have totally abandoned any effort to follow the NCAA mandate to call obstruction penalties. How do they get away with it? What good does it do for the NCAA to make obstruction a point of emphasis if one of the top leagues in college hockey simply thumbs its nose at the organization? Unless some of the schools hurt the most can exert enough influence to move to NHL-style officiating, the Western Clutch and Hold Assocation will lose its ability to attract and hold top recruits.
PCM, I like your blog, I just found it actually.
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