Ice Hockey Penalties Explained
Hockey can be a very intense game. It involves many different types of penalties. But that is only to be expected any game that has blood in the rule book is sure to require frequent intervention of the referees.
There are a few varieties of penalties in the sport of hockey. In addition to minor and major penalties and their variants, there are also severe misconduct penalties, game misconduct penalties, and match penalties. The rules which dictate how the penalties are enforced are complicated. What follows is a pretty basic explanation of these penalties.
The most common type of penalty assessed in hockey is the minor penalty. If a player earns a minor penalty he is sent to the penalty box for two to four minutes of time. Most minor penalties are two minutes in duration. While the player is in the penalty box, his team will play short-handed. If the opposing team is able to score a goal during the time of the penalty, then the penalty ends immediately and the player is allowed back on the ice. If both teams have incurred simultaneous minor penalties, then neither team is considered to be playing short handed, so a goal would not end a minor penalty in this event, however, the penalty time would be cut in half. If multiple players on a team earn simultaneous minor penalties, they are put into the penalty box. The penalty time on the second player does not begin to run down until the first player is removed from the box. If the opposing team scores while there are multiple players in the penalty box then the first minor penalty is ended. The remaining penalty needs to be served in its entirety.
Common infractions which result in a minor penalty include: holding, holding the stick, cross-checking, interference, delaying the game, tripping, hooking, slashing, roughing, and high-sticking. Sometimes, a player may incur a double minor. A penalty resulting in a double minor could be high-sticking that results in a laceration. Incurring a double minor means the player will serve two consecutive minor penalties. This penalty is typically assessed when a player is caught high-sticking and causes a laceration to the opposing player. If a goal occurs during a double minor then the first penalty expires, however, the second penalty must still be served out as a regular minor penalty. If the entire team is assessed a penalty as a whole, this is called a bench minor. Any player, other than the goalie, might be selected to serve the bench penalty.
Major penalties are given for more severe offences. Correspondingly, the penalties are more severe. Fighting always results in a major penalty. Other infractions that result in major penalties include: butt-ending, charging, spearing, and boarding. Most major penalties are more serious instances of minor penalties. Major penalties cost the player five minutes in the penalty box, and his team will be short-handed during this time. If a goal is scored, a major penalty does not end. If both teams have a player out on major penalty, they may substitute for that player, and neither team will play short-handed on that penalty. Major penalties are most often incurred for fighting.
If a player gets three major penalties during a game, he is automatically given a misconduct penalty. A player who earns a misconduct penalty is removed from the game for ten minutes. The team may substitute a player for the offending player so they do not play shorthanded. The offending player can return to the ice at the first stoppage after the 10 minute penalty has expired, unless other penalties have been amassed.
Generally, misconduct is called for various types of unsportsmanlike conduct or in the event that a player has incurred two or more major penalties during one game. If a player is assessed a game misconduct penalty, he is ejected from the game. The team can immediately bring in a substitute player since the penalty was assessed against the individual player and not the team.
Over the course of the season, if a player is ejected from play three times, he is then banned for his next game. The result of this is not only an un-played game, but also unearned salary. That games salary is usually donated to a league-supported charity. In addition to being penalized salary, additional disciplinary may be taken, as deemed necessary by the league.
Match penalties also result in the player being ejected from the game. A match penalty is assessed if a player attempts to deliberately injure another player. The team must select any player other than the goalie to serve a five minute major penalty and he cannot be substituted for on the ice, meaning the team plays short-handed for that five minute penalty. Players who receive a match penalty are suspended from their next game and often are subjected to hearings with the possibility of lengthier bans.
When an infraction results in the opposing team missing out on a scoring opportunity, they are allowed a penalty shot. This is one shot at the goal which is unimpeded by any player, other than the goalie, on the offending team. Regardless of whether there is a score or not, there is only one shot allowed.
