WHL's Vancouver Giants go full zebra with jerseys for Referee Appreciation Night

Referees across the sports world are typically easy targets for fans and players alike, but the Western Hockey League's Vancouver Giants flipped the script on Sunday.

Hosting the Spokane Chiefs, the Giants decided to don the stripes for their Referee Appreciation Night. For experienced hockey watchers, it might have been one of the most confusing sights they have ever seen.

The only noticeable difference between the Giants players and a typical referee uniform was the fact that they were wearing gloves and holding sticks. Plus, if anyone wanted to find out what players were on the ice, they would have to depend on the numbers on the back since the nameplates were hardly visible.

To avoid too much confusion, the officials for the game were sporting off-white sweaters with orange accents.

This was the Giants' first-ever Referee Appreciation Night and it was created to recognize officials across the WHL and all over British Columbia.

“Our goal with this game is twofold: first, to acknowledge the hard work that on-ice officials do to ensure the game is safe and fair, and second, to shine a spotlight on officiating at the grassroots level here in B.C.,” Giants Vice President of Operations Pete Toigo said after this special game was announced.

“Hockey can’t be played without officials. By hosting this game, we want to encourage youth to get involved in officiating and also show support for officials at all levels, who deserve more respect.”

Thankfully, there were no controversial calls during the game, as the striped Giants went on to claim a 5-3 victory over the Chiefs, with just one of their goals coming on the power play. The real officials during Sunday’s game decided to play it right down the middle as well, with both teams getting exactly seven power-play opportunities.