Tom makes a good point. In soccer (i an qualified to officiate at
several levels) the traditional referee and linesmen system (called
the diagonal system) is similar to the ice hockey system. 

Our state high school association has adopted a three person system
called the "double dual" that has a center referee and two side
referees. differences include
	side referees have whistles insatead of flags
	side referees can be on the field instead of pinned to the 
		touch line (sideline)
	side referees still have primary responsibility for off side
		and out of touch (out of bounds)
	side referees can assess fouls and misconduct (cards) on their
		own rather than informing the center referee that they
		think there has been an infraction

the purists continue to bad mouth the system, but it seems to me that
it is better because there is always an official at least as close
to the play as in a traditional system.  For example, as center refs
we can go deeper and get closer to the play when it is in the
off-diagonal corner because we know the trail side ref is already in
position to cover a transition. Thus, we don't have to be as worried
about being caught well behind the play in a transition.

Calibration of how tightly and consistently the cgme is called really
isn't the problem coaches think it will be.

It might be something worth an experiment (3 referees) in the future.
> Date:      Mon, 2 Oct 2006 11:42:41 -0400
> From: Tom Blooming <[log in to unmask]> 
> Subject: Re: Hockey-L Digest - 29 Sep 2006 to 2 Oct 2006 (#2006-140)
> To: [log in to unmask]
> 
> I've never understood why 4 officials were needed.  You have two
> linesman/assistant referees that could be given more of a mandate to
> make calls but that doesn't ever seem to be an option on the table.
> Those are eyes that are under-utilized in my opinion.
> 
> -Tom


 /"\    ASCII Ribbon   | charlie shub   
 \ /  Campaign Against | University of Colorado at Colorado Springs
  X    HTML in e-mail  | [log in to unmask]           (719) 262-3492
 / \      and news     | http://cs.uccs.edu/~cdash   (fax) 262-3369