My Top 10 memories of Officiating Ice Hockey
After playing hockey for 13 years I realized I loved the game, but I had done what I was going to do at playing. After beginning to ref in Strathcona and Sherwood Park, Alberta while playing Junior B for the Edmonton Royals, I continued to officiate in Omaha, Nebraska where I went to school and lived with my parents.
As a tall, decent skating 19-year-old man who loved the sport and knew the rules, I quickly officiated a lot of youth hockey games and was given the opportunity to officiate at the junior and college levels thanks to other officials in the area helping me. Seeing Kyle Okposo in the Stanley Cup Final reminded me it's been 10 years since I officiated a competitive hockey game. It was a very fun time and kept me a part of the game and helped me be on the ice with some of the best players in the world - something I would not have had the opportunity to do as a player.
Okposo was part of one of my favourite memories as a linesmen in the USHL. The USHL at the time was REALLY good. This was before the USA Hockey took all the best players and put them on one team like it was today. Des Moines had not only Okposo, but future NHLers Trevor Lewis, Jeff Petry, Aaron Palushaj and many others who had successful college careers.
Okposo goes end-to-end for OT Winner (March 4, 2006)
Being an OK official, not an elite official, I never really noticed specific players playing (other than the problem guys - the fighters and guys getting in trouble) but Okposo was one of the exceptions. As a 17-year-old that season, he stood out on what was in my opinion, the best USHL team there will ever be assembled for the Des Moines Buccaneers in the most competitive USHL season ever as every top team had a handful of future NHLers. As mentioned, no USA Hockey U18 and U17 teams meant those players were scattered amongst the teams and the league was entertaining and a joy to officiate.
At the time, Tri City, Lincoln and Sioux Falls all had fun buildings, but the Des Moines Buccaneer Arena was my favourite. Okposo picked up the puck in OT against the Chicago Steel in his own end and scooted down the ice before beating three different players, scoring a McDavidesk goal top short side under the bar as the place went nuts to cap off an impressive come-from-behind victory. "Mony Mony" was playing as those who know, know, fans shouted "Hey hey what do you say, Let's Go Bucs!"
My first USHL game Sioux City at Tri City (Sept. 26, 2003)
Being geographically located to the USHL living in Omaha gave me more opportunities than I deserved as what they used to call a "local linesmen." Many a professional and amazing referees and linesmen would grab a guy like me (there were a few of us) and prepare for the worst to work alongside a mediocre guy like myself.
20-year-old Jason Buzzell got a wake-up call of the speed of the USHL on opening night in Kearney, Nebraska of 2003. With two-lines passes, touch icing and delayed offsides, I botched an icing early; took a dump in off the chest that led to a boarding penalty and scrum; but made it out alive. Referee Brian Thul was laughing and fellow Canadian Grant Ammann encouraging as I fought through the game in a blur as 4,500 drunk Kearney folks cheered so loud for literally every single rush down the ice. I knew I wanted to do more games from that point forward in the USHL.
My One and ONLY USHL Playoff game (April 21, 2007)
Being a local linesman, we rightly did not receive playoff games. But one thing about the Referee in Chief Scott Brand I admired was, the opportunity to earn something special. A few seasons after working my first game in the league, I received a playoff assignment with future pro officials (a couple of the best!) Tim Mayer and Brian Oliver on April 21, 2007. Both would go on to amazing International Ice Hockey Federation assignments. That night though, the three of us had a combined ONE playoff game experience. Although it ended 5-0, the game was intense until the last period when it got away from the home squad. We laughed as we left that we had increased our combined USHL playoff experience by 400% in one night!
My last USHL game (March 7, 2009)
When I arrived at the rink only I knew it was my last USHL game EVER. The league I had done close to 200 games in as "JFL" was up. I was moving for work and adventure back to Edmonton. Dan Dreger who would become a terrific college referee and Jon Shaw didn't know. I had just accepted the job and already had the officiating assignment. And the game was an absolute picture-perfect ending.
Jon was one of many partners on the lines who was a treat to work with. He started in the league later but quickly became a veteran and we had an absolute blast that night in one of the loudest barns. After a line brawl toward the end of the first period things settled in. Sioux City mounted a come-from-behind three-goal third period. As Dan readied to drop the puck the Ice Box was going absolutely insane and I thought to myself, "I will really miss this."
A few minutes later Chris Forfar tucked home the winner and the barn went ballistic. I shared with Jon and Dregs that was my last game in the room. If you've ever been in there you know what it's like. It's still the same room. It's where I worked my last USHL game and I wouldn't have wanted it to be any different.
SPHL Weekend, Knoxville and Columbus (March 2006)
The opportunity to officiate pro hockey seemed far fetched. I was about to get married, and start a career so chasing hockey seemed to be dying down. But the opportunity to go to the south one weekend was memorable thanks again to Referee in Chief Scott Brand.
Mike Hamilton (who would later work in the CHL and Memorial Cups) and I worked the lines Thursday in Knoxville then back-to-back games in Columbus. He helped me a lot that weekend feel less nervous. Columbus was an absolute blast as my childhood guys who were a year or two ahead of me in Camrose (Tim Green whose brother played for the Rangers and Oilers (Josh), Riley Riddell, Mat Ponto among others were all in the game. The training staff in Columbus even washed all of of our stuff overnight and sharpened our skates. It was the real feeling of being a pro and an amazing surreal weekend.
Junior B games in Killam and Edmonton Royals (2010-11)
As much as the pro and U.S. junior games were cool, nothing felt as special as packing up on a cold snowy night when we tucked into a small car and made our way to the Killam Memorial Arena as the Killam Wheat Kings hosted the Saddle Lake Warriors. My bantam team's banner was still in the rink where I played bantam hockey. The rooms hadn't changed a bit. I remember going to a few Wheat Kings games as a 13- and 14-year old so then being on the ice those nights were again, a surreal feeling of being back home and come full circle.
That year, I also got to work a couple games of my old Junior B team. Those games we were paid cash and usually fun nights out in rural Alberta and small rinks in Edmonton. There was also a memorable night in Tofield with many friends playing in a Senior A game vs. Sedgewick as the temps hit -40 outside and we ended up at the Last Chance Saloon with many stories and beverages shared. Rural Alberta Jr. B and Senior A hockey was a treat to be a part of in my officiating journey and I am glad I got the chance to end my career doing them.
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My one and only USHL Referee game (Chicago at Tri City)
Referee in Chief Scott Brand asked if I had a ref jersey in my bag for a game in Kearney, Nebraska that evening. I was scheduled to lines and had only done one other junior game in the NAHL in Owatonna, Minnesota. Weather and sickness forced him to do the unimaginable. Ask me to ref. I picked up a young local linesman Paul Koskovich from Sioux City, and off we went to meet another young linesman from Colorado who drove out to Kearney for the game.
After a suspect interference call, that had Chicago assistant coach Jon Waibel shaking his head at me, the rest of the game went smooth, and to a shootout. Tri City lost but it meant a lot to have Coach Bliss say good job despite his team losing. Needless to say, I was never called into action again to ref.
Working Bronze Medal Game at Keystone Cup
Essentially both my last game as a player and an official - exactly 10 years apart - 2001 and 2011. My last game playing was in April of 2001. The Keystone Cup was all of the provincial champions from BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Northern Ontario with a host. As a player we lost to Beaver Valley in the Bronze Medal game in Maple Ridge, BC. As a linesman, I got to work the Peninsula Panthers who lost to the Pilot Butte Storm in Sherwood Park Arena 5-3 - one of the rinks I also began my officiating career at dropping pucks for novice games way back in 1999. I always thought it was cool to play then officiate in the same game. I had a goal of coaching in the tournament in 2021 to cap the trifecta but the Keystone Cup has now been retired and my coaching has been reserved to peewee hockey.
Drumheller at Camrose at the Max McLean due to the Professional Curling event next door
The Max McLean was a special place. As a kid, we had went to many Viking Cups and Kodiak games so when the Curling Tour came to the big rink, the Kodiaks were forced to the old barn for a low scoring, fight-filled affair. As was with Killam and being able to officiate in some of the old places I grew up practicing and playing, despite less fans and the glitz of American venues, the games in the old barns back home were very nostalgic and memorable.
My last CCHA series; Notre Dame at UNO (At the Civic)
My last weekend series doing college hockey was memorable for really only one reason. It was at the Civic Auditorium. All my other college games stateside were at a much bigger arena (too big) so they were not very exciting. UNO was not very good and the atmosphere did not come close to nights in Lincoln, Des Moines and Cedar Rapids of the USHL.
But my last series was at the Civic. I blew an offside that helped UNO get the game to OT on Friday night. It was very disappointing. The game was on local TV and Notre Dame Head Coach Jeff Jackson had sent in the video of two missed calls back-to-back of mine. Saturday and then Tuesday I rebounded, but the sting of those missed calls still sits with me today. The Saturday night game featured a terrific cross checking call that took away a goal by UNO. Referee Mark Wilkins rightly caught a UNO Maverick cross check on a break, to negate a goal, and Notre Dame would skate away with another one-goal victory.
Honourable Mentions:
There are several honourable mentions:
One night during an EXHIBITION GAME things got out of control between Omaha and Tri City.
One night in Cedar Rapids, weather forced Tim Mayer to enter the ice just before the anthem and he hit the carpet flying face first across center ice.
Another night in Cedar Rapids, a waved icing by my partner had Mike Hastings on top of the dasher board tap dancing with a bright red face and suit on.
A night in Ames, a referee called six straight slashing penalties on a Canadian team. As we sorted out the madness I looked up and saw my wife reading a book oblivious to the screaming and stacked penalties happening on the ice.
A night in Springfield, Missouri, one of my first junior games, Texas Tornado and the Spirit amassed a few hundred penalty minutes and I learned how to get blood out of my jersey in what the Tornado Website coined the Slobberknocker in Springfield. I officiated a high school game the next morning back in Omaha at 7 a.m. somehow.
All of this, but the one thing my wife remembers the most of any game I did that she went to, was one night in Sioux City when the Zamboni driver forgot to lock the door and six players went out the door and into the entrance... she still laughs to this day.
The most memorable
But by far. The most memorable. Despite all the fights, swearing, threats, pucks hitting me and all of the stuff on the ice, the MOST memorable night happened at this game. Well - after the game.
As we headed off the ice in Drayton Valley, Alberta, in an Alberta Junior Hockey League game between the Thunder and Brooks Bandits, both sets of coaches and training staffs were in a full-on brawl in the tunnel with each other. My two other fellow officials were working to break up some of the scraps and I looked at the trainer for one of the teams had an assistant coach in a sleeper hold that could have killed him. I just asked him, "Please let him go." and thankfully he did.
Most who know know. It was the only time I recall police being called to an arena for a game of mine, and the only time I saw a referee have to stay not to file a game report. But a police report. Charges were not filed but suspensions ensued in what was overall a quiet game but a lengthy evening for us who had a long, late car ride home back to Edmonton.
We can empower ourselves to have health & happiness in life & work. I share my experience as a lupus patient & engineer. Founder & executive director Lupus Research Foundation, owner Regan MOVES, national curler
9 个月That's awesome
Strategy & Culture Consultant | Supporting leaders to create thriving, high-performing teams through strategic planning & culture building. | Facilitator & Speaker
9 个月Really enjoyed reading this, Jason! And I sent it to Sheldon as well. Thanks for sharing ??
Principal / Managing Member at Right Way Land & Compliance
9 个月There’s the sage written content I been missing. Nicely done.
Education Student
9 个月Can’t believe I didn’t make the list ??
Director, Web Development and Accessibility
9 个月Big thanks to Todd Lacina Brian Oliver Michael Hamilton Bliss Littler Daniel Dreger Kumail Moledina Grant Ammann among many others not mentioned who taught and helped me along the way so I could have these memories and experiences in the game I love.