Getting the ref's attention?

My son was playing in a Mite league game last week and he made a save in the crease. He trapped the puck in his glove and held it down to the ice. He held it for a good 3 seconds before an opposing player managed to slap it out of his glove. He was now laying prone on the ice and was able to block the puck from going into the net. Once again he trapped it in his glove. After another 3 seconds it was batted free when the opposing player managed to pry it out of his glove and poke it into the net. I don't understand why the ref wouldn't blow the whistle. Strangely enough, at the other end the goalie was diving on every puck that came his way and was getting whistles to stop the play on every one, and most times there were no opposing players near him. On one whistle no opposing players were even past his blue line. The topper of course was when the ref stopped the play because one of the other teams players was skating towards his own goal by mistake (the periods had just changed). My question is what should a goalie do in a situation like this? Is there anything he can say to the ref to get him to snap out of it. Does he need to hold the puck in the air the way Patrick Roy was doing in last years playoffs to get a whistle? In this case even the other teams parents were embarressed. However they did enjoy retaining first place status in the division. To add insult to injury we found out later that the opposing goalie was our own Peewee C goalie moonlighting for the other town and playing two age divisions down. I guess %#*! happens.

[daemyn75]

That does suck. Well the best thing I can think of is when he covers it pull his hand under his chest and cover it with his body. holding it in the air will cause other problems if someone gets "accidental" contact on the goalie and the puck comes loose.

[AndyH]

I had a very similar problem happen to me just recently. The other team got a breakaway on me and I made a glove save and held the puck in my glove. After a few seconds the ref blew the whistle. I then hit the puck over to ware the ref was, when an opposing player intersepted my pass to the ref, and shot the puck into the net. I pushed the player, annoyed at him for wasting time, when the ref said it was a goal. He said the kid didn't here the whistle, so the goal stood. I went over and told the ref what I thought of his call and he almost ejected me for arguing with his call. I think it was because we were up 7-3, but that should not have anything to do with it.
As for the question... I think that the best idea is to scoop the puck from the ice, or after you catch it to hold it in your glove untill the ref gets it from you.

[Squealagig]

If I had of had that happen in one of my games I think the ref would currently me stuck head first naked in a pile of snow. That's just insane. Next time you get that ref you should go score in the other net during warmup and then tell him that you thought the game started so the goal counts.

[This message has been edited by Squealagig (edited January 11, 2000).]

[AndyH]

hehe... I try not to blaim the refs to much, due to the fact that I live in Georgia and this is the first season of our areas first ice hockey leauge, so many of the refs are clueless. Often myself and others who actually know the game have to tell the refs basic things. Like one ref would have every face-off at half-ice, even if I had covered the puck! One time the ref decided play was too stop-go-stop-go, so he said he would not call icing for the rest of the game, and it was halfway through the 2nd period
But geting back on topic... If you have a serious problem with one of the refs, I would talk to him after the game. Thats what i did. If you have an overall problem with all the refs, I would talk to the league officials about having the refs go through some sort of training course in which they are tought about matters such as yours.

[Bryan]

One thing you have to keep in mind is with kids games, they usually get the refs who are just learning too. They are going to make a lot of mistakes, that's how they learn. Talking to them after the game can be usefull IF you are 100% sure on the wording of a particular rule you want to discuss, and you are 100% sure you can discuss it without getting upset.

[Squealagig]

The refs in my leagues seem to be pretty good. Sometimes we have teenagers but they usually know their stuff. but I've had my dad who sometimes does the score keeping argue with the refs before. He even managed to get a goal agianst our team waved off once. It was kind of funny too as he knows nothing about hockey.

[robbf]

Being on all three sides of this one (ref,coach and father) I think your least confrontational tack would be to go to your sons coach and ask him about it, press him a bit and REALLY stress the safety/injury angle. Try and convince the coach to take it up with the ref. That should have a better result than if you went (with the best of intentions) and spoke to the ref directly. Depending on how your sons personality is you may take him aside and offer some suggestions for some "under the breath comments" while the ref is in earshot, nothing inflammatory or derogatory, just something like "jeez what do I have to do to get a whistle" as he goes to the water bottle and the ref is getting things setup for the face off. As for the age/division thing with the other goalie, you nailed it.

Thanks for the advice. My son has played at least 50 games and I've seen good calls and bad ones. This is the first time I've seen a home town ref. The coach said you will see it all and eventually get to the point where you just ignore them and play the game inspite of them. However, on certin bad calls he will get after the ref. He wants the defense to clear the crease so that the hacking stops. Meanwhile I like the advice of tucking the glove where the players can't get to it. I'll see if I can get him to hide the glove and sort parry with the goalie stick. One funny thing came out this. I dropped a puck on the
floor and asked my son to pick it up with his goalie glove. He couldn't do it. I took him to the local goalie shop to get one of his pad straps fixed and while we waited I had him try to pick up a puck with other gloves. He could do it easily with a Brians junior hook glove. This is when I discovered that his second hand Itech glove is too stiff for him work. Suddenly I saw the light. He really has been struggling with his glove hand. It was very easy to knock the puck out of his glove because he can't really hold it tightly. Fortunately the Brians glove was on sale and
I was able to get it for him. So I hope that with the new glove and the new tactics he will be able to ward off more goals. I also asked him to be more vocal with the refs. Not abusive though he has to wait until he's an adult for that. Thanks

[daemyn75]

Hey Dad be carefull with having him be vocal with the Refs. Being in the military we have a chain of command and there is one in hockey. He should goto his captain or coach and have them talk to the Ref maybe he can go with them but he should not deal with the Ref if at all possible. I kow goalies have special priveliges but always remember the Refs want a little respect just like we do. After all they are the bad guys in the whole game. I'm glad my advice is good and if they continue to try and get the puck he can smash there ankles with his Blocker hand

I have seen the refs in other games talking to my son after a save and I'll ask him later what the ref said. He said sometimes they tell him he made a great save and other times they offer advice to him or they joke around. So I guess refs are almost like real people in that they come in all types (joke). Why would anyone want to be a ref? It's a no win situation. No matter what, someone is gonna hate your guts. It must take an special type of person, part meglamaniac, part do gooder, and part judge wannabe. We were at a AHL game recently and the ref kept getting in the way of the players and then shouting at them to stay clear of him. I bet my kids that he would get knocked out before the third period. Right afterwards he got hit with a slapshot much to the crowds delight. But, he never backed off he kept geeting right in the middle of play. He survived the game.

[Abbsey]

It's no mystery why ref's "ref". They do it for the same reason we play net. For the love of the game. There may be the odd jerk out there, but underneath they still love the game. Why else would someone subject themselves to the harassment that refs put up with. It sure isn't the money!

I have to admit most of the refs I've seen on all levels have been pretty good, and most have a pretty good sense of humor. While I can't agree with all their calls I realize, they are seeing it from a different perspective from me. They must love the game because I have been to college games where the crowd rode the ref like a dimestore pony. No mercy, just a constant hailstorm of abuse.

When the ref comes over to check the net before the game I usually have a quick chat with them... usually something friendly and not always on the topic of hockey... or at least about this game.

A little easier for an adult than a kid.. but it probably wouldn't hurt for a kid to say "hey ref.. how are you today"

At least then you have established that your the good guy on the ice...

Thats a great idea!