Assignors are Like Jacques Lemaire

Watch this recap of Game 5 of Rangers vs. Captials first...

Officiating Crew:
Referees - Don Vanmassenhoven (#21 - Darren Glur's boy!) and Mike Hasenfrantz (#30 )

Linesmen - Brian Murphy (#93 - USA!) and Steve Barton (#59)

{{Watch Sports Center Clip Here}}

There is so much that I can love about this recap from a great hockey game last night. First of all, I do love John Buccigross and Barry Melrose (yep! even the mullet). I love John for his witty writing and his OBVIOUS love for the game of hockey. I enjoy listening to Barry, because he has great insight into pro hockey (not so sure about college hockey).

I love the grit of the playoff game. If some kids wish every day was Christmas (or even some old dudes in bad jumpsuits), I wish hockey could always be like playoff hockey..."what a wonderful world this would be."

Lastly, confidence. Jacques Lemaire always talked about confidence, much to the same way that Barry was talking about the confidence that the Capitals can gain from last night's game. Whatever you think about ol' Jacques and the job he did as coach for the Minnesota Wild, he did what he thought was in the best interest of the team, not the individual. AND, in doing that, he also was very aware of what he thought was best for the individual. HE WANTED TO MAKE SURE HE PUT PLAYERS IN SITUATIONS WHERE THEY COULD SUCCEED AND BE CONFIDENT, BECAUSE CONFIDENCE (or lack thereof) IS POWERFUL. Like I said, love it or leave it with JL, but this was a method to his madness.

I think assignors/supervisors/RIC's (let's just call him the referee boss) are like Lemaire, too. They want to put you positions where you can succeed and gain confidence. I have seen other guys work a big hockey game, only to see them go down in flames with their confidence. A lot of people, and I mean hockey people, don't understand that an official can take a bad call or missed judgment and carry that call with them for the next week OR MORE. The referee's who really, really care about the job the do, and want to protect the integrity of the hockey game, will internalize bad calls, and in some cases, these calls just eat away at their insides.

A referee boss wants what is best for you and the team. They are never out to screw you over, put you in a game where you would screw up, or hope you go up in flames. The referee boss wouldn't do that because he/she would then have to answer the phone calls. And...he/she wants you to succeed. Remember that.