From today's (11/9/94) St. Paul Pioneer Press's "College Hockey" column by Gregg
Wong:
 
Brink call a mistake, chief of officials says
 
Greg Shepherd, the supervisor of officials for the Western Collegiate Hockey
Association, said Tuesday that Gophers junior center/defenseman Andy Brink
should not have been given a major penalty for fighting in Saturday's game in
St. Cloud.
 
However, Brink still must sit out Friday's game at North Dakota because NCAA
rules state that after the fact a penalty can be increased but not reduced.
 
Referees K.C. Chermak and Mike Brandt ruled Brink threw a punch at the Huskies'
Dan Reimann.  Under NCAA rules, if a player throws a punch he is automatically
given a fighting penalty, which also calls for disqualification and sitting out
the next game.
 
Shepherd, a St. Paulite who also referees in the league said, "After looking at
the tape, I felt it should not have been a disqualification.  (Brink) never
really punched (Reimann).  He pulled out of a headlock and straight-armed him,
he didn't really punch him, and he even missed him with that.  It was not a
deliberate punch."
 
Shephard said the referees have been advised of their wrong call and that
another wrong call in the future will cost them a weekend of work.
 
"We've never done that before, admit officials made a wrong call, but it's
something that is good for the officials and for the coaches and their teams,"
Shepherd said.  "We as officials have to be held accountable, just as the
coaches are."
 
Pam Sweeney                             Go Gophers!!!
[log in to unmask]       1993 & 1994 WCHA Playoff Champions
                                   1994 NC$$ PHinal PHour
                                        Ski-U-Mah!!!