The 2017 ECHL All-Star Classic is tonight in Glens Falls, New York.
Referees for the game are Kenny Anderson and Jeremy Tufts, with linesmen Charlie O’Connor and Zach Roberts.
Referee Kenny Anderson
Anderson is in his third season as a full-time ECHL referee. He’s also a current referee in the American Hockey League. The native of Elk River, Minn. previously worked in the United States Hockey League and the Southern Professional Hockey League. Anderson was selected to work the 2013 USHL Top Prospects Game, the 2013 USHL Clark Cup Finals and the 2014 SPHL Presidents Cup Finals.
Referee Jeremy Tufts
Tufts is in his second season with the ECHL, and last season worked the first two rounds of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Prior to joining the ECHL, the Exeter, N.H. native spent time in both the United States Hockey League (USHL) and Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) working the 2014 USHL Clark Cup Finals, the 2015 All-American Prospects Game and the 2015 SPHL Presidents Cup Finals.
Linesman Charlie O’Connor
O’Connor, 27, is in his third ECHL season, having worked the 2016 Kelly Cup Finals. He’s also manned the lines in the USHL and AHL, as well as working international competitions for the IIHF. O’Connor has seen duty in the 2013 and 2014 USHL Clark Cup Finals as well as at the 2014 USHL/NHL Prospects Game.
Linesman Zach Roberts
Roberts is in his 10th season as an ECHL linesman. The veteran official has been selected to work the Kelly Cup Playoffs in each of the last nine seasons, working the Conference Finals in 2011, 2012, and 2013. A native of Pittsburgh, he also serves as a linesman for the American Hockey League and the Big 10.
“It is an honor to be selected to work an All-Star Game,” said ECHL Vice President of Hockey Operations Joe Ernst. “Each one of these officials has earned the right to work the All-Star Game and they are all very excited to be a part of the event in Adirondack.”
From the ECHL:
The 2017 CCM / ECHL All-Star Classic presented by I LOVE NY will feature the host Adirondack Thunder taking on the ECHL All-Stars in a non-traditional format featuring 5-on-5, 4-on-4, and 3-on-3 play, as well as a Skills Competition (Puck Relay, Hardest Shot, Fastest Skater) to highlight the talents of both teams. The All-Star Team will be comprised of the League’s top talent and prospects, showcasing the future stars of hockey as they develop in the ECHL. The game will air LIVE exclusively on NHL Network on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 8 p.m. ET.
Ian Walsh, Justin St. Pierre, Brian Pochmara and Tom Chmielewski, who worked the All-Star Game in 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2011 respectively, are working as referees in the National Hockey League while Brian Mach, who worked the All-Star Game in 1999, works as a linesman in the NHL.
There are 32 former ECHL officials scheduled to work as part of the NHL officiating team in 2016-17 with referees Jake Brenk, Francis Charron, Tom Chmielewski, Ghislain Hebert, Jean Hebert, Marc Joannette, Trent Knorr, Mike Leggo, Dave Lewis, T.J. Luxmore, Peter MacDougall, Wes McCauley, Jon McIsaac, Dean Morton, Dan O’Rourke, Brian Pochmara, Kevin Pollock, Kyle Rehman, Chris Rooney, Graham Skilliter, Justin St. Pierre and Ian Walsh, and linesmen Steve Barton, Ryan Daisy, Brandon Gawryletz, Matt MacPherson, Brian Mach, Kory Nagy, Tim Nowak, Bryan Pancich and Jay Sharrers.
Thirty-two of the 47 referees working in the American Hockey League, including four of the nine referees contracted to the NHL, came from the ECHL. Eighty-seven of the 178 linesmen in the AHL, spent time in the ECHL while 10 current ECHL referees and 31 current ECHL linesmen have worked AHL games this season.
(Featured image courtesy ECHL)
