30 Apr
NHL officials carry responsibility for enforcing league rules on games and conducting fair and impartial judging of a game. On-ice referees and linesmen as well as off-ice officials carry the burden of successful completion of a game based on rules that everyone abide by.
A referee is responsible for the supervision of the game, wears red or orange armbands, carry the power to impose penalties for violations, and conduct the initial faceoff of each period. Linesmen watch for center line and blue line violations and breakoff scuffles and fistfights. In some instances linesmen are also given the responsibility of an assistant referee. Each game use one referee and two linesmen. In some game four referee system is used where two referees and linesmen exchange the responsibility for a portion (first or second half) of the game.
Off-ice officials include goal judge, video goal judge, official scorer, game timekeeper, penalty timekeeper and a statistician. They each provide additional assistance services off the ice. Except the Video goal judge, others do not directly take part in the conduct of the game. Video goal judge reviews disputed goals and since the referee has no access to video, video goal judge’s decision becomes the final decision.