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Ref Memories

    Being the head referee in a game, I usually skated on the faceoff dots to the boards to stay away from the middle of the ice but also to get to the net quickly if I needed to. I did not want to get tied up along the boards because that was where there was usually body contact, or getting hit with the puck when someone was ringing it around the boards. I also tried to stay on the ice across the ice from the players benches. I figured if a player or coach had words for me he would have to be yelling pretty loudly from the players bench. In this case I could give the bench a warning that if it happened again I would assess a bench minor penalty. I could give a particular player a misconduct or game misconduct if necessary. I did not like giving misconducts, but if an individual was persistent with me, the player usually paid the price. Most players, if they were venting at me, if I skated further from away from them usually settled down and the game went on.

    When I was a linesman, things were very different. You were usually positioned just outside the players benches between center ice and the blue line. I got to hear some real good trash talk, planned plays and some really funny one liners.

    The better the teams involved in the game there was less chatter and more focus on the task at hand. Usually the real good teams in the South West Hockey League were very positive in their words. That doesn't mean to say there were verbal wars but they would be quickly forgotten at the drop of the puck. 

    Here are a couple of occasions when teams played hard against each, including fighting penalties, but huge respect for one another. I refer to a couple of games in Elkhorn when the Elkhorn Canadians were matched up against the Cartwright Clippers.

    One night Brad Mullin did something to one of the Elkhorn players that was not appreciated by Keith Orr. Keith was standing up for his teammate like anyone would do if it was your teammate that could not defend himself properly. Brad Mullin was the only known player at that time who had taken down Dave Semenko in a fight. Brad had huge hands. Keith challenged Brad and they started chucking knuckles. Keith came out on the short end of the fight, but he gained the entire Cartwright Clipper team's respect. Standing up for your teammate! I ,being a linesman when play resumed, was in front of the Cartwright bench so I could hear what they were saying. There was admiration and respect for Keith to engage in the fisticuffs.

    In a different game, but still the same two teams Kevin McLean who could be a pest could get under almost anyone's skin when he put his mind to it Kevin was known to do some trash talking and was a fearless player. Kevin is skating down the left side of the ice and hits a player from Cartwright into the boards a little hard with maybe just a little bit of a punch involved. I was again a lineman in the game. I am in front of the Cartwright player's bench. One of the Clipper player's yells hit that bastard. Somebody get him! Man I hate the way he plays. Danny Mullin says, yes I cannot stand him, but I wish he was on our team! Hal Haight says yea I wish he was on our team too. That is RESPECT!

     Danny Mullin saw how valuable a player Kevin McLean was to his team and what he brought to the Elkhorn Canadians hockey team. Danny did not like him but he respected him. You do not always see that in this day and age. There seems to be a lot of lack of respect in our world today. It is not like it used to be!