Radim Rulik wants the referees to be put in Czech for the way they officiated Wednesday’s Olympic men’s quarterfinals hockey showdown.
The Czechia head coach lambasted the officiating after their 4-3 overtime loss against Canada, and insisted that the refs were “afraid to call anything against” the Canadian squad.
“The referees really worry me. What they’re allowing against us is unacceptable,” Rulik told reporters, according to a translation of his postgame interview. “After every game, we send them two or three clips where they confirm that the opponent should have been penalized. I don’t understand it. I just don’t get it.
“I feel like everyone is afraid to call anything against Canada.”
Wednesday’s loss was Czechia’s second in the Olympic tournament to Canada after getting crushed 5-0 in the preliminary round.
Rulik also complained there were instances in which Czechia felt as if it were playing against the refs — and an opponent — during his team’s Tuesday qualifier playoff win over Denmark.
“We were basically playing against six players,” he said. “I don’t want to make excuses, and no one has to agree with me, but the video backs me up. In this respect, it’s not a fair tournament. It was happening to us even against Denmark. The mix of NHL and European referees hasn’t worked — everyone calls the game differently.”
One play in particular on Wednesday against Canada that seemed to miff Rulik came in the third period when Martin Nečas was about to go on a breakaway. Canadian defenseman and former Islander Devon Toews appeared to hook him in the neutral zone. But there was no penalty called.
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“I watch two NHL games on replay every single day,” Rulik continued. “The play Necas made today — when his stick was touched on the breakaway — is always a penalty in the NHL. But suddenly, not here. I’m really sorry about it. The guys deserved a top-level performance from the referees.
“They always admit afterward that we were right, but nothing ever changes. We should have had power plays against Canada. But they were afraid [David Pastrnak] or Necas would score another power-play goal. And if [Radko] Gudas was penalized, then Doughty should have been too for the hit on Pasta.”
The rant by the Czechia coach comes after many pointed out that his team had six players on the ice when Ondrej Palat scored a short-lived go-ahead goal in the third period.
To make matters even more absurd, there were seven Czech players on the ice as the team celebrated the goal.
Canada managed to come back and win, first tying the game on a goal by forward Nick Suzuki with 3:27 left in the third.
Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner scored the game-winner 1:22 into OT.