With his team’s Hockey East opener just a few days away (Friday vs. Providence in Orono), University of Maine Coach Shawn Walsh expressed concern over the two-referee, one-linesman system that will be implemented in college hockey this season.

“I’m anxious to see how it works,” said Walsh. “I’m not in favor of it at this point. I think our league’s officiating has been improving. I think we’ve got some quality referees in this league and most of them can handle a game by themselves.

“I think we overreacted to the NCAA championship game last year (Lake Superior State’s penalty-filled 5-3 win over Wisconsin),” added Walsh. “If they call the game tighter and allow more skating room, it’s up to the coaches and players to adjust.”

He does like the fact it could clean up the game.

“You’re certainly going to eliminate the behind-the-play altercations that aren’t necessary,” said Walsh.

Northeastern Coach Ben Smith said he liked the two-referee, one-linesman system.

“I want the game to be played the way it is supposed to be played,” said Smith. “The more referees the better.”

The points of emphasis in college hockey this season involve a continuing trend to eliminate interference and holding; hitting from behind and verbal abuse at the expense of the referees or linesmen.

Referees have been instructed to clamp down on players who impede the progress off an opponent who is not in possession of the puck. Impeding an opponent’s progress by hooking him with the stick, holding his stick (automatic penalty) or holding any piece of equipment with the hand or the arm will be called.

A major or a disqualification penalty will continue to be imposed on a player who hits an opponent from behind into the sideboards, end boards or goal cage.

A player who uses abusive language or acts disrespectful to other players, officials or fans will be assessed a misconduct and if he persists, he will receive a game misconduct.

There has also been an emphasis placed on faceoff behavior. Minor penalties will be imposed on players for encroachment with their skates into the faceoff circles or into the area between the faceoff parallel lines extended.

And referees will be giving a wash-out signal by waving their arms to indicate that they have observed a player who took a dive in an attempt to draw a penalty.

Unlike the NHL, however, the player who takes a dive won’t receive a minor penalty.

Hockey East is the only conference in the country that had two players chosen in the first round of the NHL draft last June. And those two players will play each other three times in a span of 15 days to start the season.

Providence College left wing Joe Hulbig was the 13th overall pick (by Edmonton) and Maine center Peter Ferraro was the 24th overall selection (by the New York Rangers).

Providence and Maine play on Friday and Saturday night in Orono and conclude their season series on Nov. 7 in Providence.