Zebras Can't Decide
The first period of this game was littered with penalties against both teams. On two separate occasions, the officials called matching penalties, which led to some 4 on 4 hockey. First, at 7:04 of the first, Halifax's Thicc Cheezy and Vancouver's Mikas Bieksa got tangled up and both players went down. Played was stopped and after the referees huddled, both players were escorted to the penalty box and called for hooking. Neither coach was given an explanation of the call and the refs quickly dropped the puck for the next face-off. Later in the period at 12:58, the Raiders' Alexander Roach and the Whalers' Tommy Outlaw met up and both went down to the ice and slid into the boards. Again, play was stopped and 4 on 4 was the result again. This time Roach went for holding the stick, and Outlaw went for hooking. Upon review of the replays, we could not find anything other than incidental contact. Fortunately, neither incident led to a goal on either side. The SMJHL officiating office could not be reached for further comment.