The Ontario Hockey League needs to make a serious inquiry into the "performance" of their officials: #2 Len Wood and particularly #22 Brent Coulombe during the Sudbury Wolves & Oshawa Generals playoff game #4 in Sudbury.
I will clearly state that the officiating is not the reason the Wolves lost the game. They lost because Jeremy Brodeur stood on his head and played amazing for the Generals. He should have been named the game's first star. Hands down.
That being said, the terrible calls by both officials played a major role in taking momentum away from the Wolves when it was up, as well as built unnecessary frustration that hindered their ability on the ice.
I have also never seen a linesman so aggressively grab, push and strike a hockey player like #67 Dustin McCrank did to Michael Pezzetta. If a player can be suspended for abuse of an official, McCrank should see a few games off for the way he handled that situation.
Sometimes fans just boo the ref for the sake of booing. But I have never heard a collective group of people so loud in my life booing the sight of magical penalties we were all hoping to actually see on the scoreboard.
It can't be easy being a referee, but these two should be nowhere near the game with the blatant disregard for fairness and safety that they both showed tonight.
They are a disappointment, an embarrassment, and a damn good example as to why referees get such a bad rap.
To the Sudbury Wolves: I say this. You boys did everything in your power to push through the absolute disaster that came crashing down in front of you with these referees. This city hasn't been so excited to watch this hockey team in years, and we as fans truly believe that this team is capable of of something special. Go to Oshawa. Lay down a nice solid beating on the Generals. Then come home and do it again so we can all celebrate the win together on Sunday.
The motto is real: #WeAreBelievers...#WeAreWolves
GO WOLVES GO!
Jim Stefanko
Sudbury