It might have been a first.
Probably was a first.
But an NHL spokesman said he wasn't sure, and Jay Sharrers, who might be in the best position to know, said he wasn't certain, either.
Sharrers, a veteran linesman, worked his first game as an NHL referee when the Flyers faced the visiting Florida Panthers, accompanying Terry Gregson last night at the First Union Center.
Sharrers, 33, born in Jamaica, raised in Vancouver, would seem to be the first black NHL referee.
"I am not aware of the history of officiating. . .If that is true, it was probably more exciting just to work with my teammates [Gregson and linesmen Greg Devorski and Scott Driscoll], and be a part of my first game as a referee," Sharrers said.
Sharrers mentioned Willie O'Ree, the first black NHL player, in the 1950s, and the All-Star Game for disadvantaged youth the league holds every year in Florida with O'Ree's cooperation.
"I've been involved with the Willie O'Ree All-Star Game for the last four years. . .We're just bringing awareness to people of color in the game of hockey," Sharrers said. "My contribution has been small, albeit perhaps a part of that. I think it's just an ongoing process of the evolution of our game, and the evolution of society."
Sharrers, an NHL linesman for 10 years, has been working this season in the American Hockey League and the East Coast Hockey League as a referee, training to return to the NHL in that higher capacity.
"It's easier to read the play at this level, because the players are so good at what they do," Sharrers said.
AWARD WINNERS
Flyers goalie Roman Cechmanek won the Bobby Clarke Award, given to the Flyers' MVP, voted by the media. Dan McGillis interrupted Eric Desjardins' six-year reign as the winner of the Barry Ashbee Award, given to the team's top defenseman, also voted by the media. McGillis and winger Simon Gagne shared the Pelle Lindbergh Memorial Trophy, to the most improved Flyer, voted by their teammates. Center Keith Primeau won the Yanick Dupre Memorial Class Guy Award, voted by the media, for the player who best illustrates character, dignity and respect for the sport on and off the ice.
ICE CUBES
Significantly higher glass behind the penalty boxes was installed for last night's game, making it much harder for a fan to fall through, as happened last Thursday against Toronto, and harder for a player to spray the fans with his water bottle, as the Leafs' Tie Domi did that night. . .A limited number of individual game tickets for the first three home playoff games will go on sale Saturday, the Flyers announced, at the box office and through TicketMaster. . .Daymond Langkow won 11 of 21 faceoffs and played 20 minutes and 54 seconds in his return from an 11-game foot injury absence. "I felt great," said Langkow, who began the game centering John LeClair and Rick Tocchet, and ended it centering LeClair and Mark Recchi.
