Jay H wrote to the effect that hockey is a simple game and does not have many
rules (translated: all the referee must do is pay attention and he should not
have any problems.)
    I am also a referee with the RPI intramural program (under the direction of
Kenny Z).  I have read the NCAA Ice Hockey Rule book twice now and I carry it
with me to the games that I referee (although I dont bring it out during the
game I may look something up after the game).  The rule book has 115 pages of
fine print.  It is true that hockey is a simple game but Kenny's point is very
true; knowing when each part of a given rule applies while dodging bodies and
pucks is VERY, VERY DIFFICULT.
    I'll give an example of my point from last nights Chiefs - Doakies game
(the two best teams in RPI's A league) in which Kenny was the referee and I
worked the lines with another person.  Between the three of us we have probably
refereed over 300 games; we all have nearly 20 - 20 vision and we all have
played Intrmural hockey (Scott the other linesman in A league  Kenny and I
have played B league (I am not playing now)).
         A shot was taken from the left point where I was standing watching the
 
    The slapshot was about 4 to 5 feet above the ice.  It was tipped into the
net by another attacking player standing in front of the net (not in the
crease).  The defending team protested saying that the puck was high sticked
into the net.  Kenny signaled the goal (correctly in my opinion) and stood
by his decision because he said he couldn't tell if it was a high stick or not
.  If it was a high stick it wasn't by much.  The shot was taken by one of
the last guys to get cut by RPI and was tipped by another former RPI recruit.
    My point is that until you are in the situation yourself you don't really
know how to feel about hockey.  It is a simple game made complex by the
situations.
 
     As an aside: after Kenny made his call the words were a lot worse than
"pukehead".  Also RPI intramural refs deserve more than $ 5 per game.
 
   Al Popp   RPI  '92