A view from the penalty box

TULSA, Okla. – In hockey, the spotlight always shines brightest on the players on the ice. Behind every game in the Central Hockey League though, there are several people who work outside of the spotlight to ensure that the fans will get to see their favorite players take the ice.

Everyone recognizes the on-ice officials on patrol in their black-and-white striped uniforms maintaining order, but few pay much attention to the other people that keep the game moving. Off-ice officials do everything from serving as goal judges, running the scoreboard and counting shots, to keeping track of penalty times and manning the penalty boxes. In Tulsa, 11 people serve as off-ice officials every game and four are on a standby substitute list. I was recently given the opportunity to perform the duties of an off-ice official at the BOK Center in Tulsa – this is an account of my time working the Tulsa Oilers’ penalty box. The story begins with me receiving a call from the Oilers’ Director of Off-Ice Officials, Jeff Ostler a couple of days before game day. Some of his people would not be able to be there for the game on Friday. “Would you be interested in working the home penalty box?” Ostler asked. As a longtime hockey fan, I jumped at the opportunity. Fast forward two days. My evening started with a few instructions – watch the clock, count-down the last few seconds of the penalty, prepare to open the door as the penalty time expires and if an official skates near the box, be sure and give the glass a tap so he is aware that the player is about to be released. Simple instructions really, and they weren’t too hard to follow, right? Once the game got underway, I realized that there was a lot more to the job. The Oilers were hosting the Berry Conference leading Allen Americans and it was clear that there would be plenty of action throughout the night. I’ve been watching hockey for several years, so I felt comfortable in my understanding of the rules of the game, but as with doing anything new for the first time, I was nervous. Luckily, Referee Zak Blazic didn’t whistle the Oilers in the opening period so the only duties I had were to offer him a towel and water bottle during the two media timeouts. The first period was a good chance for me to get used to the speed of the game. In the past I’ve had seats on the glass, but there is something about being just a swinging door away from the playing surface that makes you see how fast the game really moves. I would finally get my chance to prove myself just 2:35 into the middle period when Tulsa’s Ryan Cramer and Allen’s Dylan King were each sent off by Blazic for roughing. At this point I realized two other things you cannot truly appreciate sitting in the stands. Listed at 6’2” and 210 pounds, Cramer is no small fry, and as he stepped into the penalty box I quickly figured it out. Also clearly present was the passion that the 25-year-old has for the game. I cannot and will not repeat some of the words that were said, but I can tell you that you’ll never experience that kind of emotion sitting on the other side of the glass. Two minutes later it was the moment of truth. Would I retain the advice I was given before the game, or would I fumble and disrupt the game? Luckily, penalty time-keeper Jeff Bunch was right beside me to give me a quick reminder, and like that I swung the door open at just the right moment and Cramer darted off across the ice and back into the play. Cramer’s penalty would be the only one served in the box during the second period, but at least now I had gone through it and knew what to expect first hand. With the score tied at 2-2 entering the third period, I would get two more chances to perfect my craft. Mike Ullrich became my second guest of the night at the 2:07 mark, serving two minutes for tripping. As I started my countdown, Blazic’s hand went into the air signaling a delayed penalty to Tulsa. Play continued and shortly after Ullrich was set free I received my next guest. After the whistle blew, CHL veteran Marty Standish came to the box and served two minutes for roughing before exchanging greetings with timekeeper George Whitehead and skating back onto the ice. Yet again, I felt good about the form I used to swing the door open to get him out of the box at the exact moment the clock struck zero. The scoreless tie carried on through the end of the third period and on through a five-minute overtime period, which meant there was one more bonus for me – I had one of the best seats in the house for the resulting shootout. Tulsa’s Ian Keserich rose to the occasion and blanked all five Allen shooters, including what would have been a spectacular goal by Colton Yellow Horn had he been able to complete the NHL-skills-like spinning shot that he attempted. Tulsa rookie David Solway had a spectacular move of his own in the shootout, deking to the right, nearly coming to a complete stop, then shuffling the puck to the left past Allen goalie Rejean Beauchemin. Solway’s goal was the only one scored in the shootout and Tulsa walked away with a 3-2 win. And just like that, my experience was over. As I walked off the ice and towards the elevator, several thoughts crossed my mind, including how embarrassed I would feel if I slipped on the ice on my way out. Seriously though, I really thought about those off-ice officials that I’ve always seen at the games but never really knew what all they went through during the course of a game. Sure, they love the game and get to see every game each year, but above all they are there to do a job. What I learned was that without these men and women, there would not be a game to watch. The countless hours they put in often goes unnoticed, but they are just as important to the game as the players, coaches and on-ice officials. Contact the writer at john.hall@prohockeynews.com Contact the photographer at les.stockton@prohockeynews.com