Mic’d Up: Refs in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs

Here’s a nice on-ice look – and listen – of the referees in action during the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs: 

• Jean Hebert kicks off the action at Rangers/Pens, sharing some AHL memories with goaltender Jeff Zatkoff. 
• Dan O’Rourke and Chris Lee take a look at a replay. “We haven’t gotten anything yet,” says O’Rourke, later confirming the call on the ice. 
• “Val!” calls referee Tim Peel.  “That’s not a penalty.  If I call that a penalty, that’s a tough standard to keep all night.”
• Referee Brad Watson spends quite a bit of time explaining a call to the Caps.
  “Very good hit, but he hit him late,” says Watson.
  “It’s a good hit,” argues Washington’s Tom Wilson.  
  “Yeah, but he hit him late,” says Watson. “Blindside. Blindside and late.  If we don’t call that, we’re going to have a lot of those.”