Essex's Luke Pye has capped an extraordinary season as the lone linesman from the Ontario Hockey League selected to work at the Memorial Cup in Kelowna, British Columbia. The 22-year-old part-time business student at the University of Windsor is part of a nine-official team at the tournament, which concludes the junior hockey season.
Pye Reflects on Unforgettable Experience
"It's unreal," Pye said. "It's been unbelievable." While not competing for a championship, Pye earned his spot through superior performance. He worked the lines in Tuesday's round-robin game where Kitchener clinched a final berth with a 3-2 win over Chicoutimi. "We had a group photo with the Memorial Cup and a couple of individual photos. It's awesome to be able to have that as a keepsake."
Season of Highlights
Pye's journey to the Memorial Cup began in the playoffs, where he officiated one or two games in the first and second rounds. As officials are graded on performance, Pye continued to receive assignments, eventually working two of four games in the league final between Kitchener and Barrie. "Once the conference games started, it's two games that are scheduled and then I did Games 5 and 7 and then I got to the final and I was pumped," Pye said. He noted that officials are constantly evaluated, with every call scrutinized. "Once you get down to the last 10-15 guys, one icing or one offside can drop you down or put you out."
Earlier this year, Pye was also selected as the OHL's lone linesman to officiate at the World Junior Hockey Championship in Minnesota. "I'm watching that tournament every year and to have an opportunity to be there was an amazing experience," he said. He has also worked the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup under-18 event, along with American Hockey League games.
Family Ties to Officiating
Pye's path to officiating was influenced by his father, Brent Pye, who briefly played for the Windsor Spitfires in 1993-94 and also served as an official. A family photo shows a one-year-old Luke wearing a referee's outfit. However, it was watching his siblings play that led him to calling games. "I wanted to be at the arena whether it was my brother or my sister playing," Pye said. "I realized I could be at Essex Arena, ref four games and go home with 100 bucks and then play my game at night."
