Ottawa Senators at Pittsburgh Penguins – 8:00 EDT

REFEREES

Wes McCauley (#4) Dan O’Halloran (#13)
Games 16-17 75 / 12 75 / 13
Career Games 886 1303
First NHL Game 1/20/03 10/1/95
Birthplace Georgetown, ON Essex, ON
Goals/Gm 5.2 (37) / 3.7 (20) 5.4 (23) / 5.7 (7)
PP/Gm 3.1 (14) / 2.8 (14) 3.0 (18) / 2.8 (16)
Penl/Gm 4.3 (5) / 4.6 (6) 3.7 (28) / 3.7 (17)
PIM/Gm 10.9 (5) / 11.6 (5) 9.0 (28) / 8.5 (16)
% of Penl on Home 47% (25) / 45% (14) 47% (25) / 49% (9)
More Penl on Rd % 12% (12) / 24% (4) 11% (18) / 2% (12)
Home Win % 64% (10) / 67% (1) 53% (37) / 54% (10)
Home Rec. 48-27 / 8-4 40-35 / 7-6
OT/SO Games 17% (37) / 17% (20) 32% (4) / 42% (6)
Calls by Period 1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd
2016-17 30%/
25%
38%/
37%
33%/
37%
34%/
33%
37%/
39%
29%/
28%
Team Records 16-17 15-16 14-15 16-17 15-16 14-15
OTT 2-3/
1-2
2-4/
0-0
3-5 4-1/
2-1
2-2/
0-0
4-1
PIT 3-3/
1-2
3-2/
5-2
2-4 1-5/
4-0
2-2/
2-4
3-3

LINESMEN

Brad Kovachik (#71) Brian Murphy (#93)
Games 16-17 76 / 11 77 / 10
Career Games 1297 1863
First NHL Game 10/10/96 10/7/88
Birthplace Woodstock, ON Dover, NH

 

It’s Game 7, and that means a new pairing. The NHL has assigned veterans Wes McCauley and Dan O’Halloran to the final game of the 2017 Eastern Conference Final. This is the first game for this veteran pairing, who worked just one regular season game together (Blackhawks at Red Wings, March 10, 2017).  Both are among the top officials in the game, according to the players. They’ve each already worked a Game 7 this postseason, with O’Halloran officiating Penguins vs. Capitals Game 7 and McCauley working the final match between the Oilers and Ducks.

McCauley worked Games 1 and  5 of the Eastern Conference Final with Brad Meier.   O’Halloran refereed Game 4 alongside Kevin Pollock, which Pittsburgh hung on to win 3-2

Wes McCauley worked the opening round with Brian Pochmara, taking the ice for CHI/NSH Game 1, ANA/CGY Game 2, MIN/STL Game 4, and  WSH/TOR Game 5.  In Round 2, he was paired with Francis Charron for EDM/ANA Game 2, STL/NSH Game 3, OTT/NYR Game 4, WSH/PIT Game 5, and  – with referee Kelly Sutherland – EDM/ANA Game 7.  McCauley officiated Conference Finals games PIT/OTT Game 1, NSH/ANA Game 3, and PIT/OTT Game 5.

O’Halloran worked with Ian Walsh in Round 1, covering MTL/NYR Game 1, PIT/CBJ Game 2, WSH/TOR Game 3, EDM/SJS Game 5, and OTT/BOS Game 6.  He joined Kevin Pollock for the second round, refereeing WSH/PIT Game 1, OTT/NYR Game 2, ANA/EDM Game 4, STL/NSH Game 6, and WSH/PIT Game 7. In the Conference Finals, he’s handled NSH/ANA Game 2, PIT/OTT Game 4, and NSH/ANA Game 6.

Dan O’Halloran is working his 12th straight Conference Final, a stretch that includes nine trips to the Stanley Cup Final.   Wes McCauley’s making his sixth Conference Finals appearance, having refereed the last four Stanley Cup Finals.   Expect both to move on to this year’s Stanley Cup Final officiating crew.

 

Standby: Jean Hebert (#15), Matt MacPherson (#83)
Series Supervisor: Bill McCreary


 

 

The full list of NHL Refs and Linesmen for the 2017 Conference Finals

Playoff stats are in orange. Stats in black are for the 2016-17 season.
Number in parentheses indicates referee’s rank among active officials.