▁by ▁the ▁Czech ▁Republic . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Mc Cre ary ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁in ▁Gu el ph , ▁Ontario . ▁He ▁learned ▁to ▁sk ate ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁three ▁years ▁old ▁after ▁be ating ▁men ing itis , ▁which ▁his ▁sister ▁had ▁died ▁from . ▁Mc Cre ary ▁competed ▁with ▁the ▁Buff alo ▁T ond as , ▁W inds or ▁Sp it f ires ▁and ▁the ▁Gu el ph ▁Hol ody ▁Pl aters ▁in ▁the ▁SO J HL ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 3 - 7 6 . ▁After ▁going ▁und raft ed ▁out ▁of ▁junior ▁hockey , ▁he ▁accepted ▁a ▁position ▁at ▁a ▁machine ▁shop ▁and ▁worked ▁side ▁jobs ▁as ▁a ▁ref eree ▁in ▁local ▁minor ▁hockey ▁games . ▁ ▁Career ▁Mc Cre ary ▁was ▁invited ▁to ▁an ▁National ▁Hockey ▁League ▁( N HL ) ▁officials ▁training ▁camp ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁after ▁offici ating ▁for ▁three ▁years . ▁After ▁ref ere eing ▁one ▁major ▁junior ▁play off ▁game , ▁he ▁was ▁h ired ▁by ▁Scot ty ▁Mor r ison ▁for ▁the ▁N HL . ▁He ▁eventually ▁ref ere ed ▁his ▁first ▁N HL ▁game ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁at ▁Capital ▁Centre ▁in ▁Land over , ▁Maryland , ▁then ▁home ▁of ▁the ▁Washington ▁Capit als . ▁During ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁Winter ▁Olympic ▁Games ▁in ▁Salt ▁Lake ▁City , ▁he ▁offici ated ▁the ▁men ' s ▁hockey ▁gold ▁medal ▁game ▁won ▁by ▁Canada ▁vs