Chicago Wolves head coach Ryan Warsofsky has been fined an undisclosed amount after making public comments about the officiating following the Wolves’ Game 2 win in the AHL’s Calder Cup Finals over the Springfield Falcons.
The Daily Herald’s John Dietz reported on Warsofsky’s post-game comments:
“As a group, we need to keep our emotions in check, myself included,” Warsofsky admitted. “But, man, I am lost for words because I’m in [the locker room] preaching: stay disciplined, stay out of the nonsense, and our guys are doing a pretty damn good job of that.”
“We’re up 5-0 and I want you guys to watch [the penalty], and you guys tell me what you see to [put] us on a 5-on-3. It’s absolutely ridiculous and I’m at a loss for words – I really am… It’s a joke really. It’s an absolute joke.”
“And this is these guys’ life. This is their life. They work out every day of the summer, they get in shape, they get in condition to play for this moment right now. They deserve better officiating.”
Chicago, leading 5-0 at the time of the controversial call, held on for a 6-2 win. The referees for the game were Beau Halkidis and Brandon Blandina, both AHL/NHL refs who have worked games in the National Hockey League over the past few seasons. The linesmen were Caleb Apperson and Mitchell Hunt, who are both also splitting time between the AHL and NHL.
Warsofsky also admitted the score may have been a factor in a game that got rough at times, with the two teams ultimately combining for 44 penalty minutes – 22 per side.
“I 100% think there’s something going on there,” said Warskofsky, as reported in the Daily Herald. “I mean it’s 5-0. There’s nothing going on, we’re controlling the whole game. We know what [the Thunderbirds are] trying to do. They’re a heavy team, they’re trying to put us off our game. Respect it, but I just think that there have been some things that have gone on in these playoffs [that] I’m at a loss for words.”
The Wolves and Falcons will have all-NHL crews throughout the Calder Cup Final, with refs Mitch Dunning and Carter Sandlak skating alongside linesmen Kilian McNamara and Justin Johnson for Game 1.
The best-of-seven Calder Cup Final is tied 1-1. Game 3 is set for Wednesday, with referees Mitch Dunning and Reid Anderson, with linesmen Caleb Apperson and C.J. Murray.
