Hard-core University of Maine hockey fans already knew who Steve Piotrowski was before the Black Bears national championship game with Minnesota. The casual fan found out more than they ever wanted to know about him Saturday night.

It was Piotrowski’s arm that went up with 4:02 remaining in the first overtime, effectively ending any hopes in Black Bear Land for another national title.

Piotrowski no doubt saw a penalty. There is no doubt that Maine’s Michael Schutte stuck out his leg and no doubt that Minnesota’s Matt Koalska went flying as a result.

By the time Koalska had completed his half-gainer with a twist and landed on the ice, half the state of Maine was shouting at its collective TV.

While the hard-core half was saying, “I told you so,” the other half was learning what the hard-core half already knew – Piotrowski had a history with the University of Maine.

Last year in an NCAA East Regional quarterfinal game in which Boston College beat Maine 3-1, Piotrowski tossed late Maine coach Shawn Walsh from the game.

In the third period of that hotly contested affair, Piotrowski called penalties on the Black Bears that gave BC a two-man advantage. The Eagles scored during the power play and Walsh had a few words for the referee. Piotrowski again penalized Maine, calling the coach for a bench minor. When Walsh persisted, Piotrowski showed him the door.

All of that means absolutely nothing, of course. Whether Piotrowski had it in for Maine or not last Saturday in St. Paul is in the eyes of the beholder.

Obviously Black Bear captain Peter Metcalf supported the conspiracy theory when he suggested in the televised postgame interview that the NCAA had not done its homework before assigning Piotrowski to do the game.

Former Maine goalie Blair Marsh worked the game as the analyst for WZON of Bangor’s radio broadcast.

Marsh said he was a bit surprised at Metcalf’s reaction but understood it.

“It was the heat of the moment. Maybe he should have taken some time to cool down. You should look at the tape before you say anything,” Marsh said.

Marsh, who picked up a championship ring in 1993 and a runner-up ring two years later, saw both sides of the situation.

“I wasn’t aware that he was the same guy who threw coach Walsh out last year going into the game. But I thought he called a pretty even game. He also gave Maine four chances on the power play,” Marsh said.

Let’s face it, the Schutte call was a penalty. Anything that flies as high and as far as Koalska did after Schutte stuck his leg out should have a flight attendant on board.

But it wasn’t that penalty as much as the “no-calls” at the other end of the ice that infuriated Black Bear Land.

“Referees are taught to call it as they see it. Call it by the book,” Marsh said. “But once they gave that penalty to Schutte most officials are looking to even things up. When he saw Jackson go down he should have called it.”

Marsh was referring to Maine’s speedy forward Todd Jackson, who, shortly after Maine went shorthanded, raced in on the Minnesota goal and took an elbow or the butt end of the goalie’s stick to the chops as he began to swing around the goal. It was an obvious penalty. But the whistle did not blow.

For that to have happened, Piotrowski would have had to put a stop to Minnesota goalie Adam Hauser’s antics. That’s something the referee had refused to do in several obvious penalty situations throughout the match.

In the third period, Hauser raised his stick and held it out at Lucas Lawson, who had followed the puck in on goal. Lawson took exception and he and a Minnesota player were sent off for hitting after the whistle.

Then, early in the overtime period, Hauser slashed Maine’s Robert Liscak with such ferocity that Liscak went down and slid some 30 feet into the boards.

The Liscak play occurred as the puck was being played into the other end of the ice, so it is doubtful that the official would have seen it, and Marsh points out that Piotrowski may not have seen Hauser’s hit on Jackson.

“He may have been at an angle where he couldn’t see it,” Marsh said.

And as for an official having it in for a team?

“You have officials throughout the course of the season that a coach might get on. That doesn’t stop him from refereeing that team’s games. [Piotrowski] must be one of the top officials in the CCHA to have been given that game,” Marsh said.

We appreciate Marsh’s calmness and sensible look at the situation. But Metcalf was right. The NCAA didn’t do its homework. Grudge or no grudge, Piotrowski should not have worked the game. Not with Maine involved. Not after last year. Him just being on the ice leaves doubt in the minds of Maine fans.

So we’ll brood and complain. Things didn’t go our way in Black Bear Land Saturday night, and at least for now we need a reason other than the best team won.

Don Perryman can be reached at 990-8045 or dperryman@bangordailynews.net.