Officials in Whistle-Blowing Shape as They Return From 17-Day Strike

NHL referees and linesmen returned to the ice Thursday after ending their 17-day strike, and fans at the Forum greeted the crew for the King-Mighty Duck game with typical casual disdain.

Players and coaches were decidedly happier to see them back.

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder, isn’t that what they say?” said King Coach Barry Melrose, who was upset with the work of some replacement officials during the strike.

Referee Rob Shick and linesmen Ryan Bozak and Lyle Seitz skated around greeting players and off-ice officials with smiles during the warm-up, then quickly proved their whistles hadn’t rusted.

Shick called 14 penalties in the first period and disallowed a Kings’ goal, saying the whistle had blown before Tomas Sandstrom put a rebound between Guy Hebert’s pads. That earned him some boos.

“I’m sure (the teams) are happy we’re back,” Shick said. “That probably will end after about the first period. I don’t want to be hated, I don’t want to be liked. I want to be respected.”

Shick said the officials have lost some conditioning and will have to pace themselves for a while.

“I’m glad they got it settled,” Peter Douris of the Ducks said. “I think it affected the game a lot. We’ve got more competent officiating now.”