Chicago Blackhawks at Tampa Bay Lightning – 7:15 EDT
Saturday’s game features referees Kelly Sutherland and Dan O’Halloran. The duo has worked just one game together this postseason – Game 7 of the Western Conference Final between the Anaheim Ducks and Chicago Blackhawks. That game saw just six penalties — three for hooking, which is below their combined average of 8.2 penalties called per playoff game. Linesmen Shane Heyer and Pierre Racicot, working tonight, also handled the lines for that one.
NHL Referee Kelly Sutherland (#11) (Tom Turk/Piratical Photography)
Sutherland’s making his first Stanley Cup Final appearance since handling Canucks/Bruins in 2011. This will be his 100th career playoff game. We spoke to Sutherland earlier this year after refereeing the Winter Classic. O’Halloran’s working his sixth straight Final, with tonight’s game his 150th playoff appearance.
Combined, the Blackhawks are 11-5 this year when one of tonight’s referees is working; the Lightning are 13-5. Tampa went a perfect 5-0 in the regular season under O’Halloran. Sutherland worked Games 2 and 6 of Tampa’s Eastern Conference Final series against the Rangers (TBL W 6-2, NYR W 7-3), paired with referee Chris Rooney. O’Halloran and referee Steve Kozari handled Games 1 and 5 of that series (NYR W 2-1, TBL W 2-0).
The Blackhawks had Kozari and O’Halloran for Game 3 (ANA W 2-1) of the Western Conference Final, with Sutherland and Rooney working Game 4 (CHI W 5-4).
On special teams, the Lightning have killed off 11 of their last 12 penalties (92%). Of course, they’ve only scored twice on their last 12 power plays (17%). Chicago has killed off just nine of their last 12 (75%). The Hawks have been held scoreless on the man advantage in four of their last six games, going 3-for-21 (14%) over that span
Scouting the Refs
Referees
Kelly Sutherland (#11)
- Playoff Games 2015: 12
- Career Playoff Games: 99
- Reg Season Games: 944
- First NHL Game: Dec 19 2000
- Birthplace: Richmond, BC
| Playoffs | Regular Season | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals/Gm | 5.9 | 5.0 |
| PP/Gm | 3.0 | 3.1 |
| Penl/Gm | 4.0 | 4.3 |
| PIM/Gm | 8.4 | 11.0 |
| % Penl on Home Team | 48% | 49% |
| More Penl on Rd Team | 9% | 2% |
| Home Win % | 42% | 51% |
| Home Rec. | 5-7 | 36-34 |
| OT Games | 17% | 24% |
| Calls by Period | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | |
| Reg Season | 31% | 38% | 32% |
| Playoffs | 39% | 32% | 29% |
| Team Records | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ’15 Playoffs | ’14-15 | ’13-14 | |
| CHI | 2-0 | 4-1 | 3-3 |
| TBL | 2-2 | 4-1 | 1-4 |
| Calls By Team (Reg Season) | ||
|---|---|---|
| PP/gm | SH/gm | |
| CHI | 2.4 | 1.3 |
| TBL | 1.9 | 1.5 |
Dan O’Halloran (#13)
- Playoff Games 2015: 12
- Career Playoff Games: 149
- Reg Season Games: 1152
- First NHL Game: Oct 1 1995
- Birthplace: Essex, ON
| Playoffs | Regular Season | |
|---|---|---|
| Goals/Gm | 4.4 | 5.5 |
| PP/Gm | 3.0 | 2.8 |
| Penl/Gm | 4.2 | 3.8 |
| PIM/Gm | 13.3 | 9.3 |
| % Penl on Home Team | 45% | 46% |
| More Penl on Rd Team | 24% | 18% |
| Home Win % | 33% | 45% |
| Home Rec. | 4-8 | 34-41 |
| OT Games | 25% | 19% |
| Calls by Period | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | |
| Reg Season | 29% | 44% | 27% |
| Playoffs | 23% | 30% | 46% |
| Team Records | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| ’15 Playoffs | ’14-15 | ’13-14 | |
| CHI | 3-1 | 3-3 | 4-0 |
| TBL | 2-2 | 5-0 | 4-1 |
| Calls By Team (Reg Season) | ||
|---|---|---|
| PP/gm | SH/gm | |
| CHI | 1.4 | 0.9 |
| TBL | 1.7 | 1.9 |
Standby referee is Kevin Pollock (#33).
Series Supervisor is Kris King.
Linesmen
Shane Heyer (#55)
- Playoff Games 2015: 12
- Career Playoff Games: 172
- Reg Season Games: 1797
- First NHL Game: Oct 6 1988
- Birthplace: Summerland, BC
Pierre Racicot (#65)
- Playoff Games 2015: 13
- Career Playoff Games: 182
- Reg Season Games: 1462
- First NHL Game: Oct 12 1993
- Birthplace: Verdun, QC
Standby linesman is Derek Amell (#75).
Linesmen Heyer & Racicot have worked one game together this postseason.
