DANKOCHIK’S DRAFTINGS: Small things in hockey that baffle

I watch a lot of hockey. Probably over 100 games in a season, split between a wide variety of leagues and levels, and there are trends I see that just confuse me.

The one which seems to show up the most is the way hockey players expect referees and linespeople to Matrix-style dodge pucks they shoot right at them.

I had picked up that trend in the past, but had always assumed players had some sort of case against the stripes. That was until I became a soccer referee.

Running around on a field with 12 year olds, they easily go around the referee. It’s considered part of the game. When I went to the classes to get certified, you’re taught to be still, and let the play develop around you, and sure enough even young players are easily aware of your presence and avoid you.

Hockey players always seem surprised to see a linesperson standing at the blue line, and gesture angrily when their dump-in attempt bounces off the referee’s knees.

Where I think linesman do deserve a bit more blame comes at the faceoff dot. Somehow, over the thousands of face-offs I’ve witnessed, no team has ever been penalized for two face-off violations. Considering it seems like every face-off includes at least one player kicked out, this seems impossible.

There can be only two solutions. Either referees refuse to enforce faceoff rules, because they don’t want to award a delay of game penalty, or players know not to violate when a potential powerplay is on the line. It’s probably a combination of both.

If we’re going to be on our best behaviour and drop pucks without incident or a penalty after the first player is kicked out, why can’t we just skip the first step and just drop the puck the first time. Make any faceoff violation a delay of game, then referees and players will be too afraid to violate, and we won’t have needless delays.

While the final topic I see at every level baffles me, it’s not about the initial incident, it’s more about the response. Inevitably an attacking player will be shoved into the opposing goalie, causing a massive scrum as if he did it on purpose.

This one is more understandable than the other two, but it always makes me laugh when I see it. The player who pushes the opposition into his own goalie was just trying to make a play and got it wrong, and anytime a goalie is touched, even if it wasn’t the opposition’s fault, there’s going to be a scrum.

It’s just amusing to watch teams lose their mind and try to punch an opposition when it was their own teammate who caused the incident.

Hockey can be a funny sport sometimes, and it’s great to get out to as many games as I do. Watching games across this region is simply a joy, and it’s great I get to share those moments with people all the time.

And to everyone who reached out to ask if I was okay after taking a spill photographing the Ste Anne Aces, thanks for the concern and I’m okay — I didn’t even wake up with a sore elbow. I didn’t realize the fall looked that bad until I had players in the locker room solemnly ask if I was okay.