Rick Comley made this point strongly during a December Blue Line
luncheon.  He said he's strongly for the two-referee system, but that
right now (or then) the officials aren't/weren't positioning themselves
properly and thus a lot of  offsides are/were being missed.  He said the
trailing ref should set up on the blue line and immediately retreat when
the puck changes hands so that he can be stationed on the other blue
line in time to see if an offsides occurs.  In the beginning of the
seaso, Rick said the refs were (all of them) going too deep into the
offensive zone and thus were caught out of position on the quick
transitions.  He did saythat it was accomplishing its main objective,
the elimination of a lot of fouling behind the play.  I agree!
 
On another note.  The two-line rule (i.e. no passes from behind a blue
line over a red line) was in effect in the NMU game with the Czechs
since international rules were in effect.  I was very surprised that
this IS an international rule.  Everything else about the international
game seems to emphasize speed and offense.  Yet this rule puts a crimp
in those aspects of the play.
 
 **********************************************************************
 *  Steve Christopher, NMU  [log in to unmask]             * * * *    *
 *  NCAA Division I Hockey National Champions  1990-91   *   GO   *   *
 *  NCAA Division I Hockey Final Eight 1991-92           *        *
 *  WCHA League Champions 1990-91                        * 'CATS! *   *
 *  WCHA Playoff Champions 1989-90/1990-91/1991-92 . . .   * * * *    *
 **********************************************************************