Take a look at the wide difference of opinion of the ref's job in the UW-LSSU
game.  Personally, I think that the calls tooks UW out of their game and made
it more difficult for them, but NOTHING excuses the bad sportsmanship after
that last goal (for which Jeff Sauer should be held partly accountable -
sportsmanship is learned from the coach).  Anyway, some saw a good ref, some
(probably a majority) saw a bad ref.  Now add in all the comments about the
refs in the East calling a different game than those in the West, and the
solution to all this becomes clear.
 
First, the referees need consistent training.  There must be some supervisory
organization that provides training and, during the season, feedback in order
to increase consistency throughout the division.
 
Second, go back to the old system of two refs and one linesman.  Or, failing
that, allow linesmen to call penalties.  This is a ridiculous situation where
only one official on the ice is supposed to see and call all penalties -
NOBODY will be able to get it all right.  If you had two refs, you could have
one from both East and West (mixed crew) in playoff and championship games.
But why not let the linesmen get involved?  I remember seeing a Div III game
where two players were on the ice seriously roughing/holding each other well
behind the play, the linesman stood there watching, while the refs were both
up ice and nothing was called.  Silly!
 
And BTW, as to adjusting your style to suit the ref, if you play one kind of
game that gets you to a national championship and then come up against a ref
that forces you into  another style of game, how are you supposed to compete
successfully?
 
Finally, lets be grateful for what we *did* have.  UW was 6th East seed
(hence, 11th-12th overall), made it to the championship game, and kept the
game close and exciting right down to the end.  If seedings were really
accurate, they might have been blown out, and what kind of championship game
would that have been?
 
Tom Rowe                      INTERNET:
UWSP Dept. of Psychology      [log in to unmask]
Stevens Point, WI  54481      *****************************
341-3084                      I am in the prime of senility