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Will Ferrell Hilariously Played Referee in Front Row of Kings-Lightning Game

That’s offsides!

Blake Silverman

Will Ferrell played referee at the Kings-Lightning game
Will Ferrell played referee at the Kings-Lightning game / Screengrab via FanDuel Sports Network
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Sometimes, you don’t need to pick a side to attend a sporting event. You can just root for good, clean officiating.

Famed actor and comedian Will Ferrell did exactly that at the game between the Los Angeles Kings and Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday. He sported full NHL ref garb as he sat in the first row on the glass at Crypto.com Arena in L.A. for some great laughs. He took the bit to heart, too, as the jumbotron flashed to him signaling for plenty of icing calls and penalties, doing the job he set out for.

The local broadcast caught up with Ferrell to explain the move, which he says goes deeper than we ever could have known.

“I’ve always been in support of the NHL referees,” he said on the FanDuel Sports Network broadcast. “In fact, I trained two of the guys out here. Two of my prized students, Brandon and Francis, they’re calling a heck of a game.“

Ferrell did his homework for the joke as Francis Charron and Brandon Schrader were the on-ice referees Thursday. It looked like Ferrell had an absolute blast and provided plenty of laughs for the fans in attendance along the way.

Last year, he pulled out his “Buddy the Elf” costume from the holiday classic Elf at a Kings game. He’s a Kings superfan and has been a mainstay at their home games for several years, usually donning more casual attire. Every now and then, though, he clearly isn’t afraid to mix it up.

We’ll eagerly wait to see what the actor has up his sleeve next.

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Blake Silverman
BLAKE SILVERMAN

Blake Silverman is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys and A10Talk. He graduated from Michigan State University before receiving a master's in sports journalism from St. Bonaventure University. Outside of work, he's probably binging the latest Netflix documentary, at a yoga studio or enjoying everything Detroit sports. A lifelong Michigander, he lives in suburban Detroit with his wife, young son and their personal petting zoo of two cats and a dog.

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