A little bit of complaining about eastern refs calling everything got me to
thinking about how games were called in the CCHA this year versus what I saw in
my tenure in the east.  I am not surprised at the exasperation of some western
fans.  One must remember a couple of things though.
 
In my opinion, CCHA refs that I saw (Shegos, Petterle, et al.....) let an awful
lot of stickwork and holding and late hits go.  When the games got out of
control, then they called everything in sight.  The main difference though is
really between the styles of play of the different leagues.  The east has
smaller players on the whole.  (I have never seen line-ups the size of MSU,
LSSU or Michigan before.  Them is big boyz.)  The CCHA does a lot of bump and
grind (although LSSU and Michigan can also skate by you if you let them).  I
believe that when a ref is "conditioned" to see a lot of contact, two things
happen.
 
1.  His tolerance goes up for minor violations.
 
2. He gets better at discerning a viscious legal hit from a penalty.
 
There really is less hitting in the east.  The most physical teams I have seen
out there still don't compare to the bruisers I've seen here.  If the ref isn't
used to seeing that much contact, he's going to call it close.  Combine that
with John Gallagher and MSU's clutch and grab game plan, and you have a
penalty-fest on your hands.  (Had the eastern teams stayed around, it would
have been interesting to see if eastern fans thought that western refs let too
much go.)
 
 
--
Dave [log in to unmask]
Cornell '91 OSU Med '95
Let's Go Red!