Quote from earlier post...

"BTW, as a fan of the game (a BC fan, at that), I felt a little cheated
last night -- saw an exciting contest between 2 excellent teams at the top
of their game unravel in the last 4 minutes after a somewhat marginal call
by Piotrowski to create a 5-on-3 (!) -- don't think I've ever seen a ref
insert himself into the game like that in that situation -- just feel that
this game deserved better."

While I agree that the call was marginal, here's a sentiment that I've
never understood:

Why is it there a sentiment in hockey that an infraction that exists in the
first two periods should magically disappear in the third or overtime, and
if an official that DARES to enforce the rules late in a game, he is
suddenly "inserting himself into the game" or "taking the game into his own
hands?"  God forbid that he enforce the rules or that a player take
responsbility for breaking them.

That's not to say that Trattnig did so, as again, that was a marginal
call.  However, I take issue with anyone who thinks the rules should not be
enforced in the closing minutes.  If a penalty is committed, it's a
cowardly act for an official NOT to call it.  Unfortunately, I've come to
believe that it's gotten to the point where it's an "unwritten rule" that
an official won't make such a call.