Life in the NHL: Q & A about professional hockey with Linesman Brian Murphy---November 18 @ 7pm

The Friends of the Dover Public Library will host Dover resident and National Hockey League veteran Brian Murphy for a talk about professional hockey and officiating on Tuesday, November 18 at 7pm in the Library’s Lecture Hall.

Linesman Brian Murphy (#93) has worked over 1600 regular season NHL games and 230 playoff games, including six Stanley Cup finals. He’s also officiated at the 1999 NHL All-Star Game, the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, and the Winter Classic game at Fenway Park.  Officials call 73 to 75 regular-season games. They are the first skaters on the ice before each period and the last to leave when it’s over. They are in motion for all 60 minutes of play.   

Each NHL game has four officials. Two referees supervise the game and call penalties. The two linesmen do pretty much everything else —drop the puck for face-offs, make offside calls, flag hand passes and pucks batted with high sticks, and break up fights. “You’re not out there to be noticed,” says Murphy. “No one at the end of the day is going to tell you that you did a good job.”

 Brian will talk about his many years as an NHL official and recall some of the most memorable games he’s officiated. Brian will also be happy to answer any audience questions about the National Hockey League and its players, the game of hockey, and his job enforcing the rules. This program is free and open to the public.  For more information, please contact the Dover Public Library at 603-516-6050.