Referee caught on hot mic fixing game in favor of the Florida Panthers
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Samer Dagher
Jun 10, 2024 (11:29)
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Photo credit: Bleacher Report
A recent incident from the Eastern Conference Finals suggests that NHL referees may be allowing the Florida Panthers to evade penalties in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
NHL referees are held to high standards to ensure fair play for both teams. However, a recent hot mic incident during the Eastern Conference Finals caught a referee seemingly allowing the Florida Panthers to get away with a penalty.
In the play, referee Steve Kozari was overheard telling Matthew Tkachuk to shove Alexis Lafreniere in response to Lafreniere's earlier shove. Tkachuk followed Kozari's suggestion, and the players laughed it off.
«He gave you a shot, give him one back»
Although this appeared to be a joke with no favoritism intended, it raises questions about the influence referees have on the game. If Kozari had allowed Tkachuk to retaliate without saying anything, it could have caused more issues. This incident will be something to watch during the Stanley Cup Finals, where Steve Kozari is one of the referees.
Here are the four referees making the calls when the #StanleyCup Final starts tomorrow:
Jean Hebert 2nd Cup Final
Steve Kozari 5th Cup Final
Dan O'Rourke 7th Cup Final
Chris Rooney 7th Cup Final
Jean Hebert 2nd Cup Final
Steve Kozari 5th Cup Final
Dan O'Rourke 7th Cup Final
Chris Rooney 7th Cup Final
If officiating becomes a concern during the Finals, this moment might be referenced. Currently, the Florida Panthers lead the series 1-0 after their win last night.
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