Ice Breakers coach rips refs following loss

Carolina Thunderbirds goalie Christian Pavlas robbed the Ice Breakers of some glorious scoring chances on Feb. 16 at the Mentor Civic Ice Arena.

As far as Ice Breakers coach Iain Duncan is concerned, though, the biggest robbery in the game won, 3-1, by the visiting Thunderbirds was perpetrated by referee Kevin Mallin and linesmen Tyler Iffland and Paul McKito.

Duncan was so upset that immediately after the game he did not stop at his locker room but instead strode purposely around the outside of the rink to confront the Mallin outside the officials’ locker room. It was not a physical confrontation, but Duncan made sure he got in the last word.

“I just wanted him to know he had a great game,” Duncan said sarcastically, showing how he clapped mockingly in front of Mallin. “Part of the problem with this league is the inconsistency of the refereeing. It really hurts us because we don’t know how to play the game.

“If the referee isn’t going to call the game the way it’s supposed to be called, we’re going to get frustrated. We got frustrated tonight because the referee again let us down and let the league down.”

Duncan said Thunderbirds were offside on the goal that gave Carolina a 1-0 lead with 1:54 left in the first period.

Carolina made it 2-0 on a 4-on-3 power play goal late in the second.

The Ice Breakers cut the lead in half when Patrick Porkka scored on a rebound with 12:49 left in the third period. The Thunderbirds stretched the lead back to two goals

about four minutes later for the 3-1 final.

The Ice Breakers (9-270-2) played hard for the second straight night with nothing to show for it in the standings. Duncan is hopeful his team can build from how it played against the FHL leaders (the Thunderbirds are 35-4-0-1) and beat Danville and Port Huron, the two teams directly in front of them in the standings.

Tension was high on the ice, and the fans sensed it. Twelve penalties were called in the third period alone. Five were called in the first period and six in the third.

“We’re going to continue to play hard,” Duncan said. “It’s unfortunate the referees are hurting the potential of this hockey team.”

Duncan was dissatisfied with Mallin in the 4-1 loss to Carolina on Feb. 15. Duncan believes Millan was getting back at Duncan for the criticism, like a baseball umpire squeezing the strike zone to get back at a pitcher that tries to upstage him.

“He stared me down the first two periods every time he came by the bench, waiting for me to say something,” Duncan said. “He’s trying to antagonize me. I’m not going to put up with it.

“I’m sick and tired of the refereeing controlling the games. It’s unfortunate for the fans who pay good hard money and they can’t see a good quality game. This referee just killed us two games in a row here in Mentor, Ohio.”

The Ice Breakers’ next game is 7:35 p.m. Feb. 22 against Danville at Mentor Civic Ice Arena.