A good referee is really hard to find. The most important part of a referee’s job is go try and be almost entirely invisible. The best guys in stripes manage the game in a way that allows the players on the ice the ability to have a complete impact on the game. If the game is decided by the players making plays and the referees aren’t noticed by fans on either side, then often that’s the best refereed game. However, it can absolutely go the other direction. If the guys meant to keep the rules of the ice together do NOT control the game, it can get wild. The ability to call just the right calls to keep guys honest and make sure that players are also operating within the rules of the game is really important. We have some really great rules guys when we play in this league. On the other hand, every once in a while we get a poorly officiated game. But, hey, its a very hard job.