photo: International Ice Hockey Federation / Andre Ringuette
The “eye of the storm” refers to the calm centre of a hurricane or, metaphorically speaking, a tumultuous period. And that’s the space that Joy Johnston (nee Tottman) had to enter to referee the dramatic 2014 Olympic women’s hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States.
Even as an experienced veteran of three Winter Games at age 31, it wasn’t easy for the British official to stay in the moment under the global spotlight in Sochi. The Canadians trailed 2-0 with under four minutes left in regulation before mounting a wild comeback that saw captain Marie-Philip Poulin score twice, including the overtime winner on a 5-on-3 power play.
“I was having a good tournament, and I felt like I’d have a good shot at being selected [to referee the final],” Johnston recalled. “As soon as I was, I just felt sick with nerves in my stomach! It was such a big game, such an amazing showcase. The game itself was just thrilling. There were a few big decisions I had to make, with going into overtime and having penalties. It was an absolute honour to be part of. It probably sparked the interest of a lot of people in women’s hockey, because it was controversial and exciting.”
photo: Photo courtesy of Joy Johnston
Johnston, interestingly, was the last referee to officiate an Olympic final solo. At the 2015 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s World Championship in Malmo, Sweden, the IIHF switched to the two-referee system, meeting the needs of an increasingly fast-paced sport.
“Trying to find the right time to introduce it was challenging,” Johnston said. “I think it was the right thing to do. It’s had a really positive effect on the game. And I think it’s important that the women’s game has parity with the men’s game at the senior level and that you use the same officiating system.”
Coming from a less-traditional hockey nation in Great Britain, Johnston acknowledges the role that male mentors played in boosting her confidence and credibility at that stage in women’s hockey history. She singles out Konstantin Komissarov, the longtime IIHF officiating…
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