Today’s NHL Referees and Linespersons

Guess who’s back… back again? The officiating crew from Games 1 and 3 returns for tonight’s Game 5:

REFERRED
	Dan O’Rourke #9			Steve Kozari #40
Games ’23-24 (RS/PO)	64 / 14			66 / 15
Career Games (RS/PO)	1447 / 216			1218 / 166
First NHL Game	10/2/99			10/15/05
Birthplace	Calgary, AB			Penticton, BC
Goals/Gm	6.0 (35)			6.2 (20)
PP Opp/Gm	6.1 (22)			6.3 (12)
PPG/Gm	1.2 (32)			1.1 (38)
Penl/Gm	8.3 (9)			7.7 (17)
PIM/Gm	20.3 (9)			18.3 (26)
% of Penl on Home	50.4% (14)			49.2% (25)
% PP Opp for Home	51.0% (29)			52.0% (21)
Penl Diff.*	1.5 (7)			1.3 (22)
Home Win %	74% (3)			52% (36)
Home Rec.	45-14-6			30-27-10
OT/SO Games	24.6% (8)			17.9% (29)
Team Records	24 IN	23-24	22-23	24 IN	23-24	22-23
EDM	0-5	2-2-0	2-0-0	0-4	4-1-1	3-1-0
FLA	5-0	4-0-1	5-0-0	4-1	2-0-0	3-2-1
LINESPERSONS
	Matt MacPherson #83			Johnny Murray #95
Games ’23-24 (RS/PO)	72 / 14			71 / 15
Career Games (RS/PO)	887 / 125			1503 / 206
First NHL Game	10/11/11			10/7/00
First Playoff GameEdit	4/17/14			4/16/09
Birthplace	Antigonish, NS			Beauport, QC

Refs Steve Kozari and Dan O’Rourke worked Game 1 (FLA W 3-0) and 3 (FLA W 4-3) of this series. In both games combined, the Oilers have had 6 power plays compared to 3 for the Panthers — with neither team scoring on the power play in either game.

Kozari and O’Rourke were paired up starting in the Conference Finals, where they worked FLA/NYR Game 1 (FLA W 3-0), DAL/EDM Game 3 (EDM L 5-3)and FLA/NYR Game 5 (FLA W 3-2).

Referee Steve Kozari worked most of the postseason alongside Kyle Rehman. In round 1, the duo handled NSH/VAN Game 1, COL/WPG Game 2, NYR/WSH Game 4, and TOR/BOS Game 5. Kozari also worked DAL/VGK Game 6 alongside referee Francois St. Laurent.

The second round saw Kozari and Rehman take the ice for CAR/NYR Game 1, EDM/VAN Game 1 (EDM L 5-4)DAL/COL Game 3, and BOS/FLA Game 5 (FLA L 2-1). Kozari was also paired up with Francis Charron for NYR/CAR Game 6.

The Oilers are 0-4 this postseason under Kozari; the Panthers went 4-1.

Referee Dan O’Rourke skated alongside Tom Chmielewski in the opening round, working VGK/DAL Game 1, LAK/EDM Game 2 (EDM L 5-4 OT)and WPG/COL Game 3. He was then paired up with Chris Rooney for BOS/TOR Game 6 and with Wes McCauley for VGK/DAL Game 7.

O’Rourke worked Round 2 with Francois St. Laurent, officiating COL/DAL Game 1, FLA/BOS Game 2 (FLA W 6-1)CAR/NYR Game 5, and EDM/VAN Game 5 (EDM L 3-2).

The Florida Panthers have gone 14-0-1 in their last 15 games under O’Rourke, including playoffs. The Oilers are 0-5 this postseason when O’Rourke is working; the Panthers are 5-0.

Tonight’s game will put O’Rourke into a tie with referee Chris Rooney for the most Stanley Cup Final games worked by an active official (18), behind Kelly Sutherland (27) and Wes McCauley (24).

Standby Officials: Jean Hebert (#15), Devin Berg (#87)

Officiating Supervisor: Kris King

Stats have been updated through the end of the 2023-24 regular season.

Games: PS (Preseason); RS (Regular Season); PO (Playoffs)

Number in orange/parentheses indicated referee’s rank among active officials.

* Penalty Differential represents the absolute value of the variance of penalty calls by team per game. If Team A takes two more penalties (or two fewer) than Team B, this is a 2. Lower numbers indicate less variance between total penalties in a game – that is, a closer number of calls for both teams.