Issue link: http://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/68638
Dina Allen worked four games during the 2012 IIHF Women's World Championship, including the bronze-medal game between Switzerland and Finland. assigned to work two marquee events for USA Hockey – the Tier I Youth National Championships in her hometown of Buffalo and the 2012 IIHF Women's World Championship in Burlington, Vt. Living and working a short drive from Amherst, site of the Tier I event, offered Allen the opportunity to balance her pro- fession as a lawyer with the Buffalo law firm of Hodgson Russ with her passion for officiating. She did such a good job throughout the week that when it came time for supervisors to assign games on Championship Sunday, Allen's name was called to work the 12 & Under championship game. With the passage of the new USA Hockey rule that delays body checking until the Bantam age group, working the Peewee title game provided Allen with a good opportu- nity to work a fast-paced, wide-open style she would see in Burlington. "Just like when I was playing on a boys' team and a girls' team at the same time, you have to change gears," says Allen, who won a USA Hockey National Championship with the Syracuse Stars girls' team in 2002. "You always try to let them play. It's when they start to do, for lack of a better word, stupid things, that's when you try to reel them back in and make sure they're playing hockey." It's that versatility and knowledge of the game that gives Allen a leg up on other talented officials who may only see the game from one perspective. With years of playing with and against both boys and girls, and against some of the top women's players in the country, Allen has a sense of where the over her years as both a forward and defen- seman at Princeton, she is more than capable of keeping up with the play. "It makes it a lot easier having that playing background," says Allen, who played in 123 games over a four-year career at Princeton. "You can read and react and you know where the players are looking to go with the puck, so you know where to go to stay out of the way. You also know where to look to see if there's an issue, such as if there are a few players behind you, and you have to make sure there's nothing going on behind the play." It's that understanding, combined with her passion for the game and ability to per- form on the biggest stages, that could lead to a call from the international officiating com- munity when it comes time to select officials for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. "I know there are a lot of good U.S. play is going and how to get herself in a posi- tion to make the call. With a smooth skating style developed referees that are out there right now, but I'd love to work the Olympics," she says. "Hopefully I'll get the opportunity. I'll work hard for that." Sitting in the packed stands at the Gutterson Fieldhouse watching the gold- medal game between the United States and Canada, Allen intently watches the action on the ice. But rather than cheering for either team, she follows the third team on the ice. "I watch the officials more than I watch the players now," says Allen. "U.S. and Canada are definitely a notch up, especially the rivalry, which makes for a more challenging game because it does get a bit physical. You try to strike the balance between letting them play hockey and call- ing the penalties you have to call so it doesn't get out of control. "And I've actually played with and against a bunch of the players who are on the ice right now, both Canadians and Americans. So there's no bias here, I don't really care who wins." Spoken like a true referee. N "YOU CAN READ AND REACT AND YOU KNOW WHERE THE PLAYERS ARE LOOKING TO GO WITH THE PUCK, SO YOU KNOW WHERE TO GO TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY." —DINA ALLEN USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM JUNE/JULY.2012 25