NHL pick special referees for game between Oilers and Flames

The rivalry between the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames went up a notch this year after an incident between Zack Kassian and Matthew Tkachuk on Jan. 11 brought tensions to a season-high.

Oilers’ Kassian was suspended two games for instigating an altercation with Tkachuk after Calgary’s pest laid multiple aggressive body checks on him during the Jan. 11game, which the Flames won 4-3. This has caught the rest of the league’s attention and is why Player Safety’s George Parros will attend the game tonight night at Rogers Place in Edmonton.

On top of that, Bob McKenzie explained that the league has picked specific referees to officiate the game. The officials have also been warned to make the right calls as McKenzie explained on Insider Trading on TSN: 

“Well, director of officiating for the National Hockey League, Stephen Walkom, along with head of player safety George Parroswill be at the game Wednesday between the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames and obviously keeping an eye on what Matthew Tkachuk and Zack Kassian and their teammates are up to. In terms of instruction, I mean I’m sure Parros is going to talk to the coaches and the managers again and say keep it between the lines. As far as Walkom goes, I think we can safely assume there are going to be veteran referees and linesmen. Guys with hundreds, if not a thousand-plus games of NHL experience, who will be getting this game. And the instruction to them will be simply call the game. Don’t overreact to something before it happens but be aware obviously that the temperature could be turned up significantly. And keep one thing in mind, it’s not just Wednesday night. These two teams meet again on Saturday night and it’s expected that Parros and Walkom will be at that game as well.”

You better believe both teams will be closely watched tonight and Saturday. No messing around.