No matter where he works, referee Chris Lee seems to have a knack for embarrassing himself, and Friday’s game between the Canadians and the Golden Knights in Vegas only added to the bitterness of the crowd.
The 40-year-old has plenty of detractors, but he already had a few even before the third encounter in the 2021 Stanley Cup semi-finals.
Among the supporters of Bleu-blanc-rouge, some still remember the summer of 2020 and, more precisely, the fifth duel of the first round against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Lee sure was one of the two officials on the ice when striker Brendan Gallagher was subjected to a double check in the face from Matt Niskanen. Like Jonathan Marchesault’s lofty wand to Corey Perry on Friday, the gesture wasn’t approved.
A broken jaw by Brendan Gallagher –
Then, the National League player’s safety department suspended the offending player for a meeting, which didn’t stop the pilots from eliminating confinement while Gallagher was on the sidelines.
The decision not to impose a penalty on the Philadelphia defender also raised some eyebrows on TVA Sports at the time.
“He no longer has to rule,” said analyst Eric Fishud. The player has a bad game, he may end up in the stands for the next match. A referee who has a bad match like this, for me, is unacceptable. in series! “
“We must not forget one thing: Referees, in qualifying, are held accountable,” added Louis Jean.
Image source: AFP