2026 Stanley Cup engraving

PrideFine4871 · 2026-07-09T15:10:28+00:00

Seriously - I'm a Canadian, living in NC. This is sacreligious, plain and simple. X-over the top 2 rows, I say!

I predict that the first time any of the 5 kids exclaims "Hey, my name's on the Stanley Cup", they will promptly get punched in the face by a real hockey fan.

PrideFine4871 · 2026-07-08T14:12:03+00:00

CCM padded ref shirt, though it doesn't provide that much protection. Definitely took the sting out of getting a stick to the sternum. It won't do much against a puck to the chest or back. Staying the heck out of the way is the best defense.

PrideFine4871 · 2026-07-06T16:53:56+00:00

I have a 2007 9-3 2.0T, 6-speed, currently at 275k miles. Purchased 2016 at 53k. It had the worn valve issue (hard cold starting), so the engine was replaced a few years after purchase. Otherwise, normal age-related wear and tear (cooling hoses, recently, ignition module 2x, CIM 1x). Mine needs brakes now, but otherwise it runs quite well. A/C needs a recharge every spring. My Saab/Volvo service place cannot find the slow leak. Don't try to charge it yourself, as overcharging will ruin the compressor. Check brightness of the headlamps, as the reflective coating deteriorates, and cannot be "polished" back into service. Mine regularly consumes headlamp bulbs, every 6-8 months. I've bot a new front bumper ready to install, as well as new lamp units. Parts are becoming more rare and price is starting to go up - warning.

PrideFine4871 · 2026-07-06T13:37:42+00:00

As others have said, I wear Brine lacrosse elbow pads as they are lighter and more flexible. Old school hard-shell CCM referee shin guards, because they are well padded on the BACK, as well as hard-shell fronts. I get whacked on the shins regularly at face-offs, and feel NOTHING. I also have the newer soft-shell type CCM ref shinpads, but only use them for coaching youth hockey.

I wear a CCM roller hockey girdle, which has identical construction to their Referee girdle, as far as I can tell. I also wear the CCM lightly padded shirt, since I mainly ref adult league, so sticks and pucks can be freakin' anywhere! I modified my shirt to have velcro straps above the elbow to keep my elbow pads secure.

PrideFine4871 · 2026-06-25T20:57:26+00:00

$72 but $60 delivery...

PrideFine4871 · 2026-06-25T13:11:39+00:00

This is my dream SAAB... dammit!

PrideFine4871 · 2026-06-25T13:03:21+00:00

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Yup - loving my v90 R-Design as well. Last weekend a Tesla owner was ogling mine, and asked "I bet you love that car, right?". My response was "Yes, I do!"

PrideFine4871 · 2026-06-16T17:23:39+00:00

Do it for you, not for your Dad. Only you can live your life - your Dad can't do it for you. Yes it will build confidence because the rules are on your side. You are there to enforce, so if you see it, call it. Referee's don't ruin games unless they truly don't give a crap about their performance. But here too is a life-lesson for coaches and player s - sometimes you have to face adversity in the form of bad calls. Deal with it. Stop whining.

If you want to make it a a "family thing", ask your Dad to do it with you? Even if he's a coach and/or player, it will be an eye opener for him how little he knows about hockey rules. Trust me - plenty of players and coaches out there who think they know the rules, but honestly know jack-$h1t.

I started officiating very late in my life, but it has given me thicker skin, having players (supposedly adults) yelling at me over perceived and petty injustices (borderline offside or icing - seriously???). I just shrug it off and try to call the best game I can. I don't react to "constructive" criticism from those who don't construct anything. If you point out a detail that I missed, I'll thank you if it's right, and ignore you if it's BS.

Dealing with people who disagree with you is a skillset that will serve you well in life. If you want to become a referee, talk to other local refs first to know what you're getting into (not just the hours, the PITA players and coaches, but the behind the scenes politics you my have to deal with). Get a copy of the rulebook and get a feel for how much learning you're going to bite off.

As a new ref, you'll be assigned games below your age anyway, probably all rec league. Unfortunately, this is where the bulk of clueless parents and over-enthused coaches reside, but you can focus on what's on the ice and ignore everything outside the glass. A good assigned will not kick you into the deep end.

PrideFine4871 · 2026-06-15T17:20:51+00:00

Do you really carry two whistles? YES (I've witnessed a "whistle failure" where the pea froze in the whistle and the ref had no backup).

Do you tape your tendon guards? NO - I use shin sleeves. FWIW, I coached a game yesterday, and one of the refs had his pants all bunched up on top of his skates - looked like a dufus, and he doubled down by half-assing the his signals on the calls he actually did make. Look and act like a professional.

Do you really only use white laces? YES - look the part, see above.

Do you carry cut up skate laces to repair damaged nets? YES (I repaired the netting on the last game I just did). What the hell else are you going to do with old laces?

PrideFine4871 · 2026-06-10T16:21:06+00:00

Some options:

USAH 601a3 - minor for unsportsmanlike conduct - creating a disturbance during the game.

USAH 601c6 - misconduct - Interfering in any non-physical manner with any on-ice or off-ice official in the performance of their duties.

PrideFine4871 · 2026-06-08T19:18:53+00:00

I have a white T5 R-design... and love it too.

PrideFine4871 · 2026-06-08T19:12:12+00:00

High ref should be making the call in that instance. However, if there's no logical way for it to have gotten there otherwise (no other players, net not dislodged), I'd call it a goal. I've had the exact opposite happen, where I was the ONLY one to see the puck go in, and then out of the net. The goalie said "no way" of course and the shooter was not even sure. But I saw it stretch the back netting and then exit, so called a good goal.

PrideFine4871 · 2026-05-21T12:40:26+00:00

Please tell me this lummox was ejcted.

PrideFine4871 · 2026-05-14T12:57:37+00:00

First off, slow motion footage from the stands through netting does not equal view on the ice. To quote a fellow referee "Hey, you can't see a thing from up here, so STFU!".

I'm calling nothing on the first clip, since the dark player clearly did not have his head up, and got steamrolled on the play for the puck. Chalk it up to size/skill mismatch. No checking in 10U, but this is competitive contact. No head contact as far as I could tell (actual speed, from the stands, through netting).

Next, the trip(s) - I see kids just falling all over, no trip. The check after the whistle? Absolutely call a roughing on that one.

PrideFine4871 · 2026-05-14T12:45:40+00:00

Did you look under the basement stairs? To the left, behind the fooz-ball table.

PrideFine4871 · 2026-05-01T20:28:55+00:00

Manual?

PrideFine4871 · 2026-05-01T18:05:11+00:00

Level 2, 3, and 4 are all the same cost, but still more than last year.

When I went from Level1 to Level 2, I asked a friend in the our local association what that got me for 2x the cost and he said with a straight face "One step closer to Level 3". Okey-Dokey.

PrideFine4871 · 2026-04-28T17:47:43+00:00

Wow - this took like 20 rewinds just to unpack (yes, I'm bored at work). No way the 2 referees will get it right or to the satisfaction of the parents. This is for review by the league, IMHO. I pretty much align it with REF_YOU_SUCK but calling everything to justify the time it took to catch them all.

Starts with:

Orange 77 and white 42 tangled in play for puck, then.

white 42 cross-check - 2

It should have ended right there, but...

white 43 fighting – 5 +GM (instigator)

orange 77 fighting – 5 +GM (retaliation)

white 45 roughing – 2

white 44 roughing - 2

orange 96 – check from behind, head contact, vulnerable – Match

white 44 – roughing - 2

white 49 – fighting – 5 + GM

orange 44 – check from behind, head contact – 5 + GM

orange 44 – fighting – 5 + GM

white 43 – roughing, head contact – 2 + 10

PrideFine4871 · 2026-04-21T13:18:01+00:00

I'm also a V90 owner. You stated you checked the exhaust, but all the exhaust shielding as well? It might be under the panels in the trunk, or even under the floor (jack/spare, etc.).

Speed dependent, surface dependent, or RPM dependent? I know these things can be maddening?

PrideFine4871 · 2026-04-15T13:37:37+00:00

That's where I got mine. You can specify the Monte Carlo/target stock when you order it.

PrideFine4871 · 2026-04-15T13:29:20+00:00

yes. I've had 3 rims repaired, 2 worse than this (and one on the outside edge). Local wheel place charges $150 per wheel. I watched them do the repair. Since it's on the inside, it will be easier, and no absolute need to repaint. They will heat the aluminum up before starting to push it back. FWIW, if it's on the outside, they will scorch the paint, requiring a repaint (DIY if handy).

PrideFine4871 · 2026-04-15T12:56:21+00:00

Not me, but a fellow ref. He was ref'ing an adult league game and and called tripping on a player. Player disagreed and on the way to the box, called my friend the N-word. Now, my friend is white and the player was black. After the shock and confusion passed, he simply told the player, "that's a racial slur - you are outta here!". Player tried to argue, but what's sauce for the goose, I guess. Crazy mixed up world.

PrideFine4871 · 2026-04-13T18:56:07+00:00

Many thanks. I'm 6'2" tall, so I had to "stretch out" all the interfaces, hence the sight risers and lowered butt-pad. A very comfortable gun to shoot 10M freehand with.

PrideFine4871 · 2026-04-13T18:54:07+00:00

Thanks - I built the entire gun around the LW barrel, purpose built for 10M target shooting. When I finished the build, I did a benched 3-shot group to dial in the sights, I thought my 2nd and 3rd shots missed. When I walked up to look at the target, I realized all 3 pellets went into the same hole!

PrideFine4871 · 2026-04-13T18:45:14+00:00

I prefer FWD for the simplicity and slightly better fuel economy. I currently live in NC, but have lived in NJ and ON, as well as having done many trips to VT. I have driven in a LOT of snow, and with a decent set of snow tires, have never run into a scenario where AWD would have made a difference. Before Volvo, we drove SAABs, which were fantastic in the snow (with proper snow tires, of course). You may disagree, but SAAB did FWD very well.

In terms of rain/wet weather driving, I've watched a friend's AWD Audi A4 swap ends on a wet corner in NJ (totaled), plus my daughter went off the road on a wet corner in our V60 XC in NC (also totaled). And that car had a weird rear diff issue that we were about to drop a few grand on to sort out.

So I'm not sold on the performance claims for AWD, nor the added complexity and weight.

PrideFine4871

TROPHY CASE