The NHL is looking at multiple incidents involving referees
Thursday night saw multiple incidents in the NHL involving referees making questionable decisions. This led to players and a coach being ejected in multiple games. There are two instances where a coach and a player were very upset at the officials. Jon Cooper, coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and Austin Watson of the Ottawa Senators, who both had heated exchanges with head referees in their respective games.
At the end of the second period between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tamp Bay Lightning, a scrum ensued in front of the Penguins net.
It ended with the Lightning receiving an extra roughing penalty and the Penguins going on a powerplay. Jon Cooper did not agree with the decision and let referee Wes McCauley know it.
After the game Jon Cooper was a little calmer but was still upset with how things played out. When he spoke to the media, he said he was in «shock» of how the penalties were handed out after the initial play.
Jon Cooper wasn't the only one who was ejected from their game last night for abusive of an official, as Austin Watson of the Ottawa Senators also voiced his displeasure with a head referee. Halfway through the third period of the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers game, multiple fights broke out on the ice and when it had cleared up, it looked like Watson and referee Trevor Hanson exchanged words. This led to Auston Watson being ejected.
The NHL Hockey Operations is looking into these incidents, as reported by Darren Dreger. It was a night where two games weren't remembered by their scores or play on the ice, but by what the referees were doing.
Some will argue that these games escalated because of the poor officiating. Who do you think is to blame?
| POLL | ||
Who is to blame for last nights ejections? | ||
| Coaches and Players | 213 | 25.2 % |
| Referees | 633 | 74.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
