NEW YORK -- Bill McCreary, who called the gold-medal game between Russia and the Czech Republic in 1998, is one of seven NHL officials chosen to work the Salt Lake Olympics.

The International Ice Hockey Federation said Friday that McCreary would be joined by referees Dennis LaRue and Stephen Walkom. Both will be officiating in the Olympics for the first time. Other NHL officials working at the Olympics will be linesmen Mike Cvik, Jean Morin, Tim Novak and Dan Schachte.

An agreement between the IIHF and the NHL calls for an NHL referee to be used whenever half the players are from the league. Under international rules, the games will be officiated by a referee and two linesmen. The NHL uses two linesmen and two referees.

The NHL will take a 12-day break for the games beginning on Feb. 14. The final round of the ice hockey competition begins Feb. 15.

The IIHF earlier chose six referees and 10 linesmen from an international pool to work the men's games and an equal number for the women's competition.