In the finals of the ice hockey championship league, there has been a confusing referee discussion.
It all started in the opening finals, when the head coach of the Pelicans Tommi Niemelä was visibly furious with the referees, but did not agree to take a single word on the refereeing after the game.
For example, he did not comment on whether the SM league has given a damn about criticizing refereeing. He didn’t comment on the judges even on Saturday.
– I have been given clear instructions that I may not comment on them, even though the League claimed otherwise today, Tommi Niemelä stated at the press conference.
– Yes, you get those compliments, Tappara’s head coach Jussi Tapola stated afterwards.
– It is commenting and I have received clear instructions that I am not allowed to comment, Niemelä continued.
Tapola was not afraid to comment on the refereeing in Saturday’s match. He stated that the players had to be calmed down a bit, because many are wondering where the ice break comes from and what doesn’t. Tapola stressed that the line chosen in the first set should be kept.
– It doesn’t happen that the first and second sets are whistled on a certain line and in the third set the line goes in a completely different direction. Whatever the line, they should be judged according to it, Tapola said.
Sports expert Top Nättinen according to it, it seems that only the Pelicans have been reminded about the refereeing.
– Tommi Niemelä suddenly stopped talking about the judges and gave strong signals that he was specifically limited. I got the feeling after the eruption of Tapola that only the Pelicans have been reminded of this matter, says Nättinen.
Communication director of the SM league Tuomas Nyholm previously speculated to Urheilu that Niemelä did not comment on the performance of the judges because of the general “gentleman rule” of the series.
He emphasized that the case is specifically about style issues and not gags or similar issues.
However, Nyholm confirmed that the judges’ comments have been discussed with Niemelä. The communications director continued that the SM league does not want to open the league’s internal sanctioning system.
– The gentleman’s rule does not mean that nothing should be commented on, which Tapola also referred to. So this silence of Niemelä is in no way related to the gentleman’s rule, Nättinen believes.
Could it be a broken phone? Or that Niemelä is playing a media game?
– Can be a perfect media game. Suggests that one should not comment, in which case one avoids not commenting. But I think it would be a really well thought out media game to invent a ban for yourself. That sounds pretty absurd.
– When playing with such strong emotions, I don’t think he would hold back just for himself. Yes, someone from outside is the reason why he feels that he cannot say anything.
Nättinen reflects that Niemelä may also have felt that it is easier not to comment on anything. However, the expert considers the whole matter to be really murky and needs clearer answers from the SM league.
– I would like openness from the SM league. Not those kind of gag comments from which you can’t infer anything at all. And the word internal was mentioned. They annoy me, Nättinen says.
According to Nättinen, there was a really clear line in the second final match, but in the first and third games, the ice was more easily given. The expert himself has noticed that the players currently do not know where to whistle the ice-breaker.
– At least I myself have sensed that there is no clear information on the field. It seems that the refs have taken you by surprise. There have also been clear icebox situations seen by the judges, but the hand has been glued to the thigh.
Puhe’s Jääkiekkierros follows every final match of the SM league. The broadcast of the final on Tuesday starts at 18:10 and the match at 18:30.