Overtime penalties in the Stanley Cup playoffs take on added significance compared to similar calls in the regular season. As a referee, a player or even as a fan, there are no more regular season games in which you can hide yourself or your emotions. During the Dog Days of January, a certain amnesia sets in. People will forget their in-the-moment reactions to certain plays as the grind goes on during the long regular season.
In the Stanley Cup playoffs, it's almost impossible to forget. There are 23 cameras in the arena. It's difficult to forget the undivided attention that has all eyes intensely scrutinizing every play. This is especially true of OT Power Plays that affect the outcome of the game. These ones really get looked at, and any miscalculation is magnified.
As an official (or a player), the game will keep you humble. Forget that it's better at times to be lucky than good, and you will inevitably get a reminder sooner rather than later. Forget it all, and if you do, you will soon be home golfing and wondering where you are going to get another job that pays $200K a year plus the pension, the meal money, the travel, the frequent flyer miles and hotel points, the time off in the summer, and all those NHL stamped clothing items, T Shirts, key chains and souvenir pucks that come along with the job.
As an official, though, it all comes down to remembering the significance of your job and not forgetting that along with the job, the key chains and pucks is the original reason you took the job. TO GET THE RIGHT CALL.......THE RIGHT CALL...THE RIGHT CALL...that is your motivation....your reason for being out there.
As a former player, I have a hard time when I see mistakes happen on the officiating side. I understand the emotion and frustration. BUT, as a former referee, I also understand that incorrect calls are a part of the humanity of the game.
I understand that everyone out there on blades is human. I can forgive and forget because like Regis... sorry, I mean "THE Pierre"... I don't have a dog in this race. Yet I do understand all that are out there racing. Yes, that includes the officials, who are racing not to get sent home and to keep working in the spring (although merit doesn't always win the race).
For those that care about playing and officiating the game right, you now need to think as an Officiating Supervisor/Director in understanding WHY mistakes are made and how as "The Boss" you can coach the Official to not make these mistakes again.
I am not questioning the official's judgement on the plays in Boston that left the Bruins a man short in OT. Referee Furlatt saw the play as he saw it and he judged it to be a minor penalty. All is within his right as a referee with all of his years of experience. I get that.
However, as we 'Fans" are in the catbird seat, we can watch it live then replay, replay and replay again at various speeds and different angle. Then, we get to listen to "The Raging Pierre," who has no real comprehension as to why Furlatt made this call. Yet again, as with all officiating matters (and frankly, most hockey matters), he covers this action with a lot of words but no real explanation as to why the call was made. He just heaps a load of abuse on the referee, going along with what I think of as the lynching party mentality.
The word "inconsistent" keeps coming from the lips of all those with no "dawg" in the race...Yet as a fan, a player, a referee, a fan we all need to understand that this referee did his job. He's a good referee. This may not have been his best call, however.
So while the results are tragic for The Bruins, the eventual impact on Referee Furlatt remain to be seen. If I were the coach of these four officials I would remind all four Officials that what I learned a long time true still holds water.
POSITIONING SELLS AND SUPPORTS YOUR CALLS!!!!!!!! Get to great position. Look at the tape, Referee Furlatt isn't even in the shot. He's across the rink and out of sight behind the dot and closer to the goal line vs the top of the circle. He is likely looking through the goalie. It's not a position that I would want to be in if I was reffing this game. Mistakes happen, and this is a mistake.
The high referee, Tim Peel, is so far out of the zone at the red line that he's no help. This is a classic case of poor positioning. Sight lines are what you need in the modern game at any level. The referees and linesmen must be fast and furious, fighting to keep gaining and achieving great sight lines.
When you watch the tape of the play, don't watch the "PUNCH." If that's a punch, well, I brush my teeth harder than that.
Instead, and not just in this case, look for the positioning of the referees. Seventy feet away and looking across the crease is too far to have a good look or any sense of feel for the punch. Frank Udvari's Rule # 1 was "feel the game." If you don't see it all, it's hard to feel it and decide.
Had Furlatt had a great look at this play, he would not now be on the Hot Seat wondering about whether the next round is for a playoff game or at a golf course. This referee might even now be concerned about his job and all of those frequent flyer miles. I know I had a hard time sleeping when I made a call that wasn't a strong one.
Do we keep blaming Furlatt? OK, we can and the Pierres of the world probably will. Eric's the obvious and easy target. But always remember what President Truman said, "I am the boss. The Buck stops Here!"
I think that bosses who don't coach better should accept some of the the heat, too. THE Pierre ought to know a thing or two about coaching failures. If not, some folks in Hartford with long memories might remind him.
Tell you what. If THE Pierre leaves referee Furlatt alone and looks at the bigger picture of why the mistake happened, so will I. After all, it's cruel and inhuman to keep beating the dog.
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Paul Stewart holds the distinction of being the first U.S.-born citizen to make it to the NHL as both a player and referee. On March 15, 2003, he became the first American-born referee to officiate in 1,000 NHL games.
Today, Stewart serves as director of hockey officiating for the ECAC.
Blogger •Former NHL Referee • 
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