New NHL - Same Old Refs

So what happens when an irresistible force (Toronto's power play, ranked second in the NHL) meets an immovable object (Ranger penalty kill, ranked second in the NHL)? In this case the force, Toronto, aided and abetted by some questionable calls from referee Massenhoven wins. Bryan McCabe scored a power play goal, his second of the game, early in the third period on an interference call by Jed Ortmeyer on goalie Ed Belfour. Belfour was way out of the crease when he and Ortmeyer hit each other and from these tired old eyes the call could have gone against Belfour for overacting. There could be an opening for him in the World Wide Wrestling Federation.

The only Ranger goal was an even strength goal from Jagr which was surprising to me because Toronto's defense has given up the fifth worst goals against in the NHL. Martin Straka hit the post on a breakaway after faking Belfour out of his skates and Marcel Hossa had a goal waved off on another questionable call, this one a high stick of a flying puck.

Few could blame the Edmonton Oilers for feeling outraged following their 3-2 loss to the Dallas Stars Friday night at Rexall Place.

Edmonton appeared to tie the game with 4.1 seconds remaining in the third period when Ales Hemsky controlled a rebound off a point shot by centre Jarret Stoll and beat Dallas goaltender Marty Turco from the slot.

Referee Mick McGeough, front, disallows a tying goal by Edmonton Oilers forward Ales Hemsky (83) against Dallas Stars goalie Marty Turco Friday night at Rexall Place.
(Marc Bence/Canadian Press)

But referee Mick McGeough immediately waved off the goal, ruling that Shawn Horcoff had gloved the puck off the draw back to Stoll, a play that cannot be reviewed.

However, replays clearly showed that Horcoff won the faceoff cleanly, leaving the Oilers' bench frustrated with McGeough's decision.

McGeough admitted his mistake following the game.

"It was a blown call on my part," he said after the game. "It was poor judgment on my part. I thought he had his hand on the puck on the faceoff but it was his stick. My judgment was poor on the play."

The soldout crowd at Rexall Place littered the ice with debris after Hemsky's goal was waved off.

"It was a retarded call," Oilers head coach Craig MacTavish snapped. "There is no other explanation for it. I know he is a veteran official and at times I have found his antics humorous. But if this is the product of that, there is a problem.

"It was a ridiculous call. I had no idea what he had called. Nobody saw the hand pass on the play because quite clearly there wasn't one. It's beyond reason.

"He should be suspended."

Best start

The win gives Dallas (11-2-0) its best start in franchise history, while the Oilers (7-6-1) dropped their second consecutive home game.

Turco was sympathetic for the Oilers' outrage, but he said he heard the whistle and stopped moving on Hemsky's shot.

"The whistle had gone a long time before the puck went in," he said. "That's what we were going off of. It's a tough break for them. Who knows what would have happened.

"But the whistle went as he was shooting. I had already reacted to the whistle. I could have smothered it or swatted it away. I'm sure they are disappointed, but by no means should that be thought of as a possible goal."

Defenceman Trevor Daley's first goal of the season with 58 seconds remaining in the second proved to be the game-winner for the Stars.

Daley's harmless-looking point shot seemed to handcuff Oilers goaltender Dwayne Roloson.

Dallas took control for most of the third period with Turco turning back the Oilers at every turn.

To:  National Hockey League, National Hockey League Players Association, and National Hockey League Officials Association

Kerry Fraser is not doing his job well and has not been doing it well for over a decade it is about time that the NHL (National Hockey League), NHLPA (National Hockey League Players Association), and NHLOA (National Hockey League Officials Association) realized this and makes sure he never referee another game again.
Any official in any sport is of course going to make a controversial call with which some do not agree. Fans of any sports are prone to yelling obscenities at a referee after a call they do not like but Kerry Fraser is the only official in the NHL who fans will jeer and curse out when his name is announced as an officiator BEFORE the game. As soon as Kerry Fraser's name shows up on the books to officiate any game fans start to worry.
Fraser's non-call in Game 6 of the 1993 Western final between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings occurred when Wayne Gretzky whacked Doug Gilmour in the nose and it stung that much more when the Great One scored the winning goal in overtime. The Kings went on to win the series. Some 10 years later, Fraser chose the night of his 1,500th career game to come clean. "It was a missed call and it was unfortunate," Fraser, 51, admitted.
Fraser, who has officiated the most games in NHL history, has missed some other big calls that have cost teams as well as himself. Fraser was dropped from the playoff rotation last spring after missing a call in an earlier round. He also blew a call on a disputed goal in the 1998 Eastern Conference final between the Buffalo Sabres and Washington Capitals that resulted in the league apologizing to the Sabres. Fraser was switched out of the referee position for Game 6 of this year's Stanley Cup Finals in Calgary Fraser was switched out of the referee position for Game 6 of this year's Stanley Cup Finals in Calgary, although the League will not admit it, because they were worried he would make another bad call in his already 20 plus year long string of bad calls.
Around the league he is one of the most maligned referees and this hockey fan would be only too happy to see his time in the NHL come to an immediate end.
What does it say about a league that continues to allow this man to referee? How many chances does he get? He has cost too many teams too much and yet he is still allowed to referee. Is the NHL so desperate for referees that they cannot find someone to take his place?
We, the undersigned, plead with the National Hockey League, the National Hockey League Players Association, and the National Hockey League Officials Association to ensure that Kerry Fraser is removed from the active roster of referees and never allowed to referee another NHL game ever.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned