Hit the One who's Dressed Differnt

There is a moment in Game 6 where Pat Stapleton is standing in the face-off circle, leaning on his stick Dryden-like, while one of the many penalty call/missed calls brouhahas goes on around him. No arguing, no fussing, just waiting right where a Soviet Center would stand to take a draw.

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We are between games 7 and 8 in the Summit Series.  The series is tied 3-3-1, and both sides are looking for every edge they can.  The action off the ice is as intense as the product on. 


The point of contention is the refereeing.  Its the Soviet’s turn to select.  The Canadians are OK with that, but have advised if West Germans Baader and Kompalla are selected they won't play.  More than pride and bragging rights are at stake here; money is involved as the Soviets would lose  big chunk of TV revenue if the game isn't played.

I don’t know if we’ve made it clear in these posts that in 1972 in IIHF hockey there are only two [2] officials on the ice. Two referees who double as linesmen.  This system was changed soon after, switching to the North American set-up of one referee and two linesmen.

The two Germans and Team Canada didn't get off to a good start in the second Swedish exhibition match.

Things started OK, but after the Cashman incident things spiraled downward fast. It seemed every decision was met with louder and louder disapproval from the Dominion XX.  Platoons of agitated Team Canadians would get in the face of Kompalla and the space of Baader, sharing opinions about their refereeing, appearance and ancestry.

After one of these interminable go-rounds, a piqued Kompalla [or Baader, I can never remember which is worser] dropped the puck before the Canadian center, Esposito, was in position. Phil waived his arms disgustedly and chased after the Swedish puck carrier.


In Game 6, Stapleton is simply ensuring that it doesn’t happen again.  Once bitten y’know.



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I think its safe to say the two German refs were in over their heads.  Their previous experience in the DEL and European Tournaments did not prepare them for the intensity of the Summit Series. 

They weren’t ready and everyone knew it. As a result, the Canadians didn’t respect them or their calls. When the Czech Batja or the Swede Dalberg made a call, the Canadians might disagree, but they’d accept.  

Plus, with their higher level of experience, its safe to say that Batja and Dalberg made better calls overall.

This problem with referees went on for years – both the uneven quality and the selection process.

The 74 Series had more problems with the officials.  Organizers had hoped to pre-empt the problems by allowing one Canadian and one Soviet official.  It didn't help.  Plus, they mitigated this wise move by also selecting a Pole.  Now, if it were soccer or water polo or fencing, a Polish official would be a helluva good idea.  Sometimes nobody never learns nothing.

That 74 Russian official, aptly named Dumbrowski, was still a fixture in IIHF hockey 3 years later when Canada returned to the World Championship.  After Canada's 1977 round-robin game with the CSSR, Southam [Postmedia these days] sports columnist Jim Coleman suggested Dumbrowski refereed by Braille.


Meanwhile, back in 1972, Game 8 in the Summit Series went ahead, each team chose one official – the Czech Batja and the German Kompalla were the guys.