Linesman Matjaž Hribar talks about his career

Friday, January 13, 2023 was a special day for Matjaž Hribar. For the match between EC-KAC and HC TIWAG Innsbruck, the linesman was on the ice for the 500th time in a league game. It was another milestone in a great career that got a late start. "When I was four years old, my father tragically passed away. My mother had to take care of my two sisters and me alone. Besides school and local sports, she couldn't organize anything else. Because we lived in a small village, transportation and logistics were difficult. At the age of 15, I started with secondary school in Ljubljana and went for an ice hockey tryout. But even before I stepped on the ice, I realized that my knowledge was far behind that of my peers of the same age. I first decided to improve my skating skills. For at least two years, I worked on it every night. After that, I signed up for the officiating tests and passed it. That was my beginning as a game official," Hribar recalls.



The road from the first game to the anniversary
On September 22, 2006, Hribar worked his first league game in Vienna alongside his Slovenian colleagues Igor Dremelj and Aleš Lešnjak (at the time, a 3-man system). "It was a special experience and there are many moments that I remember since then. For example, it was important for me when Lyle Seitz (Director of Hockey Operations) came to the league and gave me the opportunity to move forward. I also got a lot of great tips from experienced NHL referee Pierre Racicot at our common camps," says Hribar, who has not been spared from injuries either: "At the end of January 2016, I suffered a discus hernia injury during the game between Linz and Znojmo. I was all the more pleased to be back on the ice in a win2day ICE Hockey League final game last season, for the first time since the injury."

The 500th league game in Klagenfurt became the next emotional highlight. "I cannot describe - it means me more than I can tell with words. It was a huge moment in my career and also in my life. I could spend unforgettable moments with closest friends, and of course, I could share that experience with my family - I will never forget that game and those feelings," says the Slovenian, who has also set himself personal goals for the coming weeks and months. "As all officials I work very hard during the whole season to make it all the way to the last games. But I also know that it is a tough race and that not everyone can get such an opportunity."