Delay of Game occurs when any player or team deliberately causes a stoppage of play or delays the restart of play. This includes, but is not limited to, the following actions:
A Minor penalty will be assessed to any player who, in the opinion of the Referee, is deliberately delaying the game.
A Bench Minor penalty will be assessed to any team who, in the opinion of the Referee, is deliberately delaying the game. In certain circumstances, a Penalty Shot may also be awarded to the non-offending team for violations of this rule (Rule 4.11 (a)(ii)(iii)(viii)(ix) – Penalty Shots).
No Major penalty may be assessed for Delay of Game.
No Match penalty may be assessed for Delay of Game.
No Misconduct penalty may be assessed for Delay of Game.
No Game Misconduct penalty may be assessed for Delay of Game.
Players must keep the puck in motion wherever possible. Team A is already shorthanded when another delayed penalty is signaled against Team A. Team B, wishing to have a stoppage of play, pushes the puck towards a Team A player who refuses to play the puck. The Referee will stop play but will not penalize either team, beyond the penalty that was already on delay. Where a team consistently refuses to play the puck, the Referee may assess a Minor penalty for Delay of Game.
In cases where devices are used to hold the goals in place, officials are advised to watch closely when players and goaltenders are delaying the game by knocking the goals off their moorings. When this action is intentional, a penalty must be assessed.
The intent of this rule is to eliminate unnecessary stoppages caused by the goaltender. The following guidelines should clarify the application of this rule.
A goaltender may freeze the puck in the goal crease when under pressure from attacking players.
The goaltender may come out of their crease to cut down the angle and catch the shot or, after stopping the shot, cover the puck.
A Minor penalty will be assessed to a goaltender who, after one warning, freezes the puck in the crease when not under pressure from attacking players.
When a goaltender comes out of their crease to beat an attacking player to the puck and simply jumps on the puck, causing a stoppage of play, a penalty will be assessed. No warning will be issued in this instance.
When a goaltender leaves their crease, they will not be allowed to freeze the puck. If they do, they will be assessed a Minor penalty. No warning will be issued.
When a goal has been displaced intentionally or accidentally, the Officials will use the following criteria to determine when play should stop:
If the puck is in the same end zone where the goal has been displaced, stop play immediately. If the goal has been displaced intentionally, then assess the appropriate penalty.
If the goal is displaced by a player whose team is in control of the puck, stop play immediately.
If a team has control of the puck in the neutral zone and is moving up the ice, and a player on the opposing team in their attacking zone displaces the goal, let play continue until the scoring play by the non-offending team has been completed. If the team in control of the puck moves the puck back into their own zone, with their goal displaced, then stop the play at once. In this case, a goal may be scored at one end of the ice, even though the net at the opposite end has been displaced.
Clarifications as it pertains to goaltenders shooting or batting the puck directly out of play:
When the goaltender shoots the puck directly out of the playing surface where there is no glass, such as at the Players’ Bench or Penalty Bench, or if the puck touches the glass or deflects off a player or official, no penalty will be assessed.
In order to assess a penalty to a goaltender under this provision, both ends of the rink must be similar. If there is glass at one end only, then the rule would not apply. However, if the rink only has glass on one side of the ice, then a goaltender may be penalized, as both ends of the rink are similar and no goaltender has an advantage over the other.
The goaltender has been removed and another player is laying in the goal crease. The puck is shot under them, but the player makes no attempt to cover, fall on or gather the puck into their body. However, the puck becomes frozen under their body. What is the ruling?
RULING: No Penalty Shot or Minor penalty, provided that the player has made no deliberate attempt to cover the puck.
A Captain comes off the Players’ Bench to question the Referee, but stays on the ice to take part in the play. Does the Referee assess the Minor penalty immediately?
RULING: Not immediately.
Note 1: The Referee is not permitted to discuss any interpretation of the rules with the Captain in this situation. The Captain however, must remain on the ice since the line change has been completed. The Referee should use good judgment, and warn the player appropriately that a conversation or discussion is not allowed at this particular time, and that they must now remain on the ice. If the Captain persists in questioning, or if they return to the Players’ Bench and leave the ice, a Minor penalty for Delay of Game should be assessed.
The onus of maintaining equipment in proper condition will be upon the player. If adjustments are required, the player must leave the ice and play will continue uninterrupted, using a substitute.
A Trainer/Safety Person may attend to an injured goaltender who is in their crease, without the goaltender having to retire from the ice and their place taken by the alternate goaltender. The Trainer/Safety Person must first receive permission from the Referee before leaving the bench and going on the ice.
If a goaltender asks to go to the bench, they should be informed by the Referee that if they go, they must be replaced by the alternate goaltender. This applies for either repair of equipment or an injury. If a goaltender requests a towel to wipe their face under the mask, the Referee should give permission to have one brought to them.
On a stoppage of play, the Referee notices that the goaltender is at the Players’ Bench. The Referee must then notify the team that they must do one of the following: replace the goaltender with the alternate goaltender, keep the original goaltender in the net and be assessed a Minor penalty, play with six players, or take their time-out, if allowed.
A team requests that the pads of the opposing goaltender be measured by the Referee. The Referee, who measures the pads in the Referee’s crease, finds them to be illegal and assesses the Minor penalty under Rule 10.6 (a) – Illegal Equipment.
Since the pads are illegal, the Referee is ordering the goaltender to correct the pads and they may go to the Players’ Bench to have their pads corrected. Under this condition only, the substitute does not have to replace the regular goaltender, provided the pads can be corrected without undue delay.
A player will be permitted to stop, knock down, or push the puck with their hand. Play will not be stopped unless the player has directed the puck to a teammate in the neutral or attacking zone with the hand. No player, excluding the goaltender, may deliberately fall on the puck or gather the puck into their body.
Play will be stopped but a Minor penalty will NOT be assessed for a player who commits a “hand pass” violation.
A Minor penalty for Handling the Puck will be assessed for a player, except the goaltender, who commits any of the following infractions:
Closes their hand on the puck and, by doing so, gains an advantage. This will not include a player who closes their hand on the puck to catch or stop the puck and immediately drops it to the ice without gaining or attempting to gain an advantage.
Deliberately falls on or gathers the puck into their body while standing or laying on the ice.
A Penalty Shot will be awarded to the non-offending team for violations of (iii) and (iv), when the infraction occurs inside the offending team’s goal crease (see Rule 4.11 (a)(v) – Penalty Shots and Rule 1.5 (c) – Goal Crease)
The Referee will Award a Goal to the non-offending team for violations of (iii) and (iv), when the infraction occurs inside the offending team’s goal crease and the goaltender has been legally substituted for an extra skater (see Rule 4.12 (a) – Awarded Goals).
A Minor penalty for Handling the Puck will be assessed to a goaltender who deliberately falls on or gathers the puck into their body or holds or places the puck against the goal, while outside their crease, thus delaying the game.
10.2 (b)
No Major penalty may be assessed for a handling the puck infraction.
10.2 (c)
No Match penalty may be assessed for a handling the puck infraction.
10.2 (d)
No Misconduct penalty may be assessed for a handling the puck infraction.
10.2 (e)
No Game Misconduct penalty may be assessed for a handling the puck infraction.
Where a player in the neutral or attacking zone hand-passes the puck back into their defending zone and a teammate gains possession and control of the puck, play would continue.
Note 1: For the purpose of this rule, the position of the puck and not that of the player’s skates determines which zone the player is in when the hand pass is completed.
QUESTION: A player on Team A bats the puck with the hand. The puck hits an opposing player, rebounds and is picked up by another player of Team A. Does play continue or is play stopped?
ANSWER: Play is stopped. Play can only continue if the non-offending team gains possession and control of the puck. Since the puck only hit the opposing player (possession but not control), play would be stopped.
This situation should be the guiding principle of any variations of this rule.
If an attacking player bats the puck and it is deflected into the goal by any player (attacking or defending) or goaltender, the goal will NOT be allowed. The key principle of this rule is that no goal can be scored when an attacking player bats the puck, unless the puck is subsequently clearly “shot” into the goal. After any batted puck, the Referee or Linesperson should watch closely for a clear shooting action. If the puck enters the goal and no clear shooting action was observed, disallow the goal.
General guidelines for closing the hand on the puck:
The puck is in the goal crease. A player, who is outside the crease, bats or scoops the puck out of the crease and into their body. They do not cover or grab the puck while the puck is still in the crease, just scoops it out and then grabs it or falls on it.
RULING: Assess a Minor penalty under Rule 10.2 (a)(iv). The puck was not actually covered in the crease; therefore, no penalty shot may be awarded.
Where a goaltender has the puck in their glove and throws the puck to a teammate, the Referee will stop play, but no penalty will be assessed.
“Diving” is the action of a player trying to draw a penalty against an opponent where no foul occurred. “Embellishment” means that the victim makes the impression of a foul look more serious than it truly was, even though a foul has been committed. Either action may be penalized under this rule.
A Minor penalty for Rule 11.1 (a) – Unsportsmanlike Conduct will be assessed to any player who dives or embellishes, in order to draw a penalty.
This penalty may be assessed with or without a penalty to the opposing team, at the discretion of the Referee.
No Major penalty may be assessed for diving.
No Match penalty may be assessed for diving.
No Misconduct penalty may be assessed for diving.
No Game Misconduct penalty may be assessed for diving.
Players may only leave the Players’ Bench for the purposes of a legal line change or at the end of a period, as directed by the Referee.
Players may only leave the Penalty Bench upon the expiry of their penalty or at the end of the period, as directed by the Timekeeper or the Referee.
Players may only leave the Penalty Bench at the conclusion of their penalty or at the end of a period, as directed by the Timekeeper or Referee.
A Minor penalty will be assessed to any player who leaves the Penalty Bench before the expiration of their penalty. However, if this is the result of an error by the Penalty Timekeeper, no penalty will be assessed and the player must only return to the Penalty Bench to serve the time remaining in their penalty at the moment they returned to the ice.
In the event of (a)(i), no goal may be scored by the offending team between the time the player illegally left the Penalty Bench until the next stoppage of play, even if the penalty time would have expired by the time the goal is scored. This will be applied, regardless of whether the player returned on their own or because of an error by the Penalty Timekeeper.
If the infraction detailed in (a)(i) interferes with an opponent who is on a breakaway in the neutral or attacking zone, the Referee will award a Penalty Shot to the non-offending team under Rule 4.11 (a)(vi) – Penalty Shots or Award a Goal under Rule 4.12 (a) – Awarded Goals.
A Minor penalty will be assessed to any player who, in leaving the Penalty Bench, does not proceed to their Players’ Bench by way of the ice surface
Players may only leave the Players’ Bench for the purposes of a legal line change or at the end of a period, as directed by the Referee. At the end of each period, all players must remain on their respective players’ or penalty benches until directed off the ice by the Referee. A Bench Minor penalty will be assessed if:
A Team Official gets on the ice after the start of the game, without the permission of the Referee. A Game Misconduct penalty may also be assessed under this rule.
A team’s players leave the players’ or Penalty Bench at the end of a period, before they are directed to do so by the Referee.
No Major penalty may be assessed for Leaving the Players’ or Penalty Bench.
No Match penalty may be assessed for Leaving the Players’ or Penalty Bench.
No Misconduct penalty may be assessed for Leaving the Players’ or Penalty Bench.
A Game Misconduct penalty will be assessed to any player who leaves the players’ or Penalty Benches while a fight is occurring on the ice or for the purposes of starting a fight. Players who violate this rule will be penalized as follows:
The first player of either team to leave their players’ or Penalty Bench will be assessed a double Minor penalty and a Game Misconduct penalty. If players from both teams leave their respective benches simultaneously, then both players will be assessed a double Minor penalty and a Game Misconduct penalty.
Any player who leaves the players’ or Penalty Bench during a fight and is subsequently assessed a penalty will be assessed a Game Misconduct penalty.
A maximum of five (5) players per team may be assessed Game Misconduct penalties in a single stoppage of play (including the pre- game warmup) under (e)(ii) of this rule. This is in addition to a Game Misconduct assessed under (e)(i), if applicable.
A Game Misconduct penalty will be assessed to the Coach of any team whose players leave the Players’ or Penalty Bench at the end of a period before they are directed to do so by the Referee and an altercation that results in penalties of any kind is either in progress or begins after the players leave the bench.
A Gross Misconduct penalty will be assessed to any player or team official who, having been removed from the game due to a Game Ejection, Game Misconduct, Gross Misconduct, or Match penalty, returns to the ice surface or becomes involved with or disrupts the game in any way.
If a player is serving a coincidental Minor penalty or a Misconduct penalty, and comes on the ice before their penalty has expired, they will receive a Minor penalty. The Referee would put a player in the Penalty Bench to serve the Minor penalty immediately and delay the remainder of the coincidental Minor penalty or Misconduct penalty for two minutes. After the Minor is over, the balance of the coincidental Minor penalty or Misconduct penalty can be completed.
If a player leaves the Penalty Bench before their penalty time has expired and that player is fouled in any manner, the appropriate penalty will be assessed and the player would return to the Penalty Bench to serve the remainder of their penalty. The only exception would be that no Penalty Shot or goal may be awarded in this situation, as a goal may not be scored by their team, while the penalized player is illegally on the ice.
In some arenas, the players’ and Penalty Benches are side by side with no physical barrier between them. If, when a player’s penalty expires, they do not proceed to their Players’ Bench by way of the ice, that player will be assessed a Minor penalty under Rule 10.4 (a)(iv).
A player on the Penalty Bench leaves early on their own accord without proceeding by way of the ice to their Players’ Bench with five seconds remaining in their original penalty. What penalty or penalties do you assess the player?
RULING: A Minor penalty will be assessed to the offending player for leaving the Penalty Bench prematurely (Rule 10.4 (a)(i) and a second Minor penalty would be assessed for not proceeding to the Players’ Bench by way of the ice (Rule 10.4 (a) (iv). Therefore, in addition to the five seconds remaining in the original penalty, the player would have to serve a total of 4:05 minutes.
If an Off-ice Official permits a player to return to the ice before their time has actually expired, this error must be corrected during the first stoppage of play after the player left the Penalty Bench. Unserved penalty time would be added to the penalty clock. Additional game time will only be added to the game clock in the event the game has ended, either in the third period (no overtime) or during overtime OR in the event unexpired penalty time is greater than the amount of time remaining in the game. The unexpired penalty time will be added to both the game clock and penalty clock
A player of Team A received a Minor penalty at 8:30. At 7:00, due to a Timekeeper’s error, the player left the Penalty Bench. At 6:30, the penalty would have been up. Team A scored at 5:45 with the player on the ice. This is the first stoppage of play since the Timekeeper’s error and this error is immediately brought to the attention of the Referee.
RULING: The goal would be disallowed, despite the actual penalty time being expired when the goal was scored, and the player would be required to return to the Penalty Bench to serve the remaining 30 seconds.
A player of Team A received a Minor penalty at 8:30. At 7:00, due to a Timekeeper’s error, the player left the Penalty Bench. Team A scored at 6:40. At 6:30 the penalty would have been up. When Team A scored at 6:40, which was the first stoppage of play, the error was discovered.
RULING: Since the player of Team A was illegally on the ice, as there was still time remaining in their penalty, the goal would not be allowed and the player would be required to return to the Penalty Bench to serve the 30 seconds that they had not served previously.
A player of Team A received a Minor penalty at 8:30. At 7:00, due to the Timekeeper’s error, the player left the Penalty Bench. At 6:40, Team A scored and at 6:30 the actual penalty time should have expired. At 5:50, the next stoppage of play, the Timekeeper’s error was discovered and reported to the Referee.
RULING: The goal will not be allowed and the player will be required to go back to the Penalty Bench to serve the 30 seconds remaining in their penalty. The reason for this ruling is that the stoppage of play at 5:50 is actually the first stoppage of play following the actual time when the penalty should have expired. The goal at 6:40 was not actually the first stoppage of play
No player may leave the Players’ or Penalty Bench for the purpose of starting or becoming involved a fight.
What penalties are assessed if, before the play resumes, Player A8 leaves the Players’ Bench and:
RULING
- A8 - double Minor plus Game Misconduct for leaving Players’ Bench for purpose of starting a fight, plus Minor for Instigating, plus Major for Fighting + Game Misconduct. B6 – Major penalty for Fighting plus Game Misconduct.
- A8 would not receive the Minor for Instigating. All other penalties would remain the same as in (i) above.
- A8 would receive a Major for Fighting and Game Misconduct. B6 would receive a Minor for Instigator, plus a Major for Fighting and Game Misconduct.
Note 1: This interpretation would apply if A8 entered the game during the play and immediately becomes involved in a fight.
Where the first player to leave a bench during a fight comes from the Penalty Bench, they will be assessed three minor penalties, plus a Game Misconduct penalty, plus any other penalties they may be assessed under the rules. They receive a double Minor penalty and Game Misconduct penalty for being the first player to leave the Penalty Bench, plus another Minor penalty for leaving the Penalty Bench before their penalty expires.
Players may not throw sticks or any other object anywhere on the playing surface. A player who has lost or broken their stick may only receive a stick at their own Players’ Bench or be handed one by a teammate.
A Minor penalty will be assessed to any player who:
Throws, shoots, or kicks a stick or any part thereof, or any other object in the neutral or attacking zone.
Note 1: Discarding a broken stick, as per Rule 3.2 (a), will not be penalized unless it interferes with the play or is done in such a way that poses a risk to other participants.
A Penalty Shot will be awarded to the non-offending team, in lieu of a Minor Penalty, when a player:
Throws, shoots, or kicks a stick or any part thereof, or any other object at the puck or puck carrier in the defending zone.
Throws, shoots, or kicks a stick or any part thereof, or any other object at an opposing player, who is on a breakaway in the neutral or attacking zone.
Note 2: This is a delayed penalty but will be assessed regardless of whether the thrown stick or object actually makes contact with an opposing player or the puck.
If any of the above actions are committed by a team official or player on the Players’ or Penalty Benches, they must be penalized under Rule 8.4 (a) – Interference from the Bench.
A Major penalty and Game Misconduct will be assessed to any player who injures an opponent by any action described in 10.5 (a).
A Match penalty will be assessed to any player who, in the opinion of the Referee, attempts to injure or deliberately injures an opponent by throwing, shooting, or kicking a stick or any part thereof, or any other object.
A Misconduct penalty will be assessed to any player who deliberately throws or shoots a stick or any part thereof, or any object outside the playing area.
A Game Misconduct penalty must be assessed any time a Major penalty is assessed under this rule, as detailed under Rule 10.5 (b).
The penalty to be assessed is determined by the location of the puck or puck carrier when the stick or object contacts either the puck or the puck carrier. However, it should be remembered that the stick may not reach the puck or puck carrier and the appropriate penalty would still be assessed.
(a) If a player had possession of the puck in the neutral zone and an opposing player who is located in the defending, neutral or attacking zones throws, shoots, or kicks their stick or any other object at the puck or puck carrier, the penalty to be assessed would be a Minor penalty, except when such act has been penalized by the awarding of a Penalty Shot as in example (c) below.
(b) If a player has possession of the puck in their attacking zone and an opposing player who is located in the defending, neutral or attacking zones throws, shoots, or kicks their stick or any object at the puck or puck carrier, a Penalty Shot would be awarded.
(c) If a player has possession of the puck in the neutral zone and an opposing player who is located in the defending, neutral or attacking zones throws, shoots, or kicks their stick or any other object at the puck or puck carrier, and during the time elapsed between the actual throwing, shooting, or kicking of the stick and the time when the stick actually reaches the puck or puck carrier, that puck (or puck carrier) has reached the attacking zone, then a Penalty Shot will be awarded.
A stick is thrown, shot, or kicked to a player on the ice by a teammate who is also on the ice. The player picks up the stick.
RULING: Assess a Minor penalty to the offending player, and assess a Minor penalty under Rule 10.6 – Illegal Equipment.
Note 1: If the offending player was on the Players’ or Penalty Benches, then they should be penalized with a Minor penalty and Game Misconduct penalty under Rule 8.4 (a) & (e) – Interference from the Bench.
Where a stick is thrown, shot, or kicked by a defending player in the neutral zone and another stick is thrown, shot, or kicked at the puck or puck carrier by a defending player in their defending zone, a Minor penalty will be assessed and a Penalty Shot will be awarded. Should the player who was fouled score on the Penalty Shot, the Minor penalty will still be assessed for the first infraction in the neutral zone.
Illegal equipment refers to any equipment that does not meet the requirements detailed in Section 3 of the Playing Rules.
A Minor penalty will be assessed to any player who uses equipment that does not conform to the following rules: •
Note 1: In the case of 3.6 (a), a warning may be issued prior to a minor penalty.
Note 2: In the case of Rule 3.7, a warning will be issued to the team and subsequent violations by any member of that team will result in a minor penalty.
A Bench Minor penalty will be assessed to any team that violates Rule 2.3 (a) – Team Captains.
Note 1: This is a delayed penalty. The only circumstance in which play will be stopped immediately is if a player participates in play without a helmet or facial protection. Note 2: No goal may be retroactively washed out if a player is found to have violated this rule.
No Major penalty may be assessed for Illegal Equipment.
No Match penalty may be assessed for Illegal Equipment.
After one warning to the team, a Misconduct penalty will be assessed to any player who wears their helmet, facial protector, neck guard, or mouth guard improperly (Rule 3.6 (f) – Protective Equipment).
A Misconduct Penalty, in addition to a Minor penalty, will be assessed to any player who refuses to surrender or breaks their stick, when requested by the Referee for the purposes of measurement (Rule 3.3 – Sticks).
A Misconduct Penalty will be assessed to any player who undoes their chinstrap to incite or challenge an opponent but does not actually participate in a fight.
No Game Misconduct penalty may be assessed under this rule.
A Gross Misconduct penalty will be assessed for the following actions:
Any player who refuses to remove or alter a piece of equipment after being assessed a Minor penalty because the Referee has deemed it dangerous or uncertified or illegal.
Any player who refuses to remove their helmet or facial protector for the purposes of identification, when asked to do so by the Referee.
Any player who intentionally removes their helmet before or during a fight OR undoes their chinstrap before or during a fight and that helmet subsequently comes off during the fight.
Any player who intentionally removes another player’s helmet before or during a fight OR undoes another player’s chinstrap before or during a fight and that helmet subsequently comes off during the fight.
A player without a stick picks up a stick thrown to them on the ice from the Players’ Bench. This player is to be assessed a Minor penalty for Illegal Equipment. If the player or team official throwing the stick is identified by the Referee, they will be assessed a Bench Minor and Game Misconduct, under Rule 8.4 (a) & (e) – Interference from the Bench. If the player or team official throwing the stick is not identified by the Referee, a Bench Minor penalty will be assessed to the team responsible for such action, under Rule 8.4 (a) – Interference from the Bench. If the player on the ice does NOT pick up the stick, then they would not be assessed a penalty, but the action of throwing the stick on the ice from the bench would still be penalized as described above.
A player on the Penalty Bench hands a stick to a teammate on the ice, whose stick has been broken.
RULING: The player receiving the stick has done so illegally and will be assessed a Minor penalty for Illegal Equipment. The player on the Penalty Bench handing the stick to the player on the ice would not be assessed any penalty.
A goaltender has lost their stick in the corner. Can any defending player pick it up and bring it back to the goaltender, without being assessed a penalty?
RULING: Yes, as long as that player does not participate in the play while carrying the goaltender’s stick.
A player carrying a goaltender’s stick to a goaltender who has lost or broken their stick, decides to become involved in the play. The player drops the goaltender’s stick and participates in the play.
RULING: Assess the player a Minor penalty for Illegal Equipment. Once the player makes the commitment to carry the stick to the goaltender, they must follow through with that commitment. As long as they in no way participate in the play, no penalty would be assessed for carrying the stick to the goaltender, even though the player may be in the vicinity of the play. By moving the stick, they have committed an infraction.
A goaltender breaks their stick. A player of the same team gets a stick at the Players’ Bench and in the act of taking the stick to the goaltender, the player slides the stick along the ice to the goaltender. Is that considered legal?
RULING: No. A goaltender may receive a new goaltender’s stick without proceeding to the Players’ Bench. A player may carry a new stick back to the goaltender. After receiving a new goaltender’s stick from the bench, the player may not slide, throw or kick the stick along the ice but must carry the stick back to the goaltender and hand it to them. A player who slides, throws, or kicks a stick to the goaltender is to be assessed a Minor penalty under Rule 10.5 (a) – Throwing or Shooting Stick or Object. A Penalty Shot may be awarded under Rule 10.5 (a) – Throwing or Shooting Stick or Object, if the player slides, throws, or kicks the stick at the puck or puck carrier in their defending zone. If the goaltender picks up the stick, they will be assessed a Minor penalty for Rule 10.6 (a) – Illegal Equipment. No penalty is to be assessed against the goaltender in the above situation if they do not pick up the stick. If the player interferes with an opposing player or the puck while carrying the extra stick, they will be assessed a Minor penalty for Rule 10.6 (a) – Illegal Equipment.
A goaltender loses their stick and a teammate hands the goaltender their own stick. The player, meanwhile, picks up the goaltender’s stick and plays with it.
RULING: Assess the player a Minor penalty for Illegal Equipment. No penalty would be assessed to the goaltender.
When a goaltender’s pads are measured and found to be illegal, the goaltender will be penalized, and will:
If a player loses their helmet and/or facial protector, or their chinstrap becomes undone while play is in progress, that player has two (2) options:
Note 1: This is not a delayed penalty.
Note 2: If during the course of a game a player is checked or hit with the result that one of the side straps holding the facial protector comes undone, but the chin strap remains secure, it is not necessary to assess a penalty. The player should be notified at the first stoppage of play.
At any time prior to the start of a game, a Referee may notify a team of an illegal piece of equipment, advising them to correct it or change it before the initial face-off. For example, a Referee observes a player wearing a non-certified helmet or facial protector during the pre-game warm-up. The Referee may then, without assessing a penalty, notify the player or team that such equipment is not permissible. This may be done without penalty only prior to the start of the game.
A player loses their helmet or facial protector and due to an apparent injury, is unable to properly replace the helmet or go to the Players’ Bench.
RULING: Stop play immediately, regardless of which team is in possession of the puck. No penalty would be assessed to the player under this rule. This situation supersedes Rule 2.4 (b) - Injured Players - where play is allowed to continue. The injured player would still be required to leave the ice and may not return until play has resumed. If the player was on a breakaway in the neutral or attacking zone, the Referee would follow the same procedure and will award a Penalty Shot to the player deprived of a scoring opportunity.
A player is on a breakaway in the neutral or attacking zone and a player of the opposing team deliberately removes their helmet or facial protector in an effort to get a stoppage of play.
RULING: The Referee will award a Penalty Shot to the player deprived of a scoring opportunity.
Where a player has been assessed a Minor penalty for wearing a non-certified helmet, facial protector or throat protector, such player will not be permitted to take their place on the Penalty Bench until they have obtained a certified helmet, facial protector or throat protector, as the case may be. This entails that a substitute (player on the ice at the time of the infraction) must replace the penalized player on the Penalty Bench immediately. If the penalized player can obtain a certified helmet, facial protector or throat protector without delaying the game in any manner, they may then serve their penalty. Otherwise, a substitute will have to replace them on the Penalty Bench. A procedure similar to that explained in Rule 2.4 - Injured Players - will then be followed.
Where a player is wearing the mouth guard in a manner that is careless or clearly not within intended guidelines, the team will receive one warning and any subsequent infractions by the same team will be penalized immediately. Referees are encouraged to deliver this warning to the Coach.
Where a player has been assessed a Minor penalty under this rule for the use of dangerous equipment, it means that the player has come back on the ice after being previously warned by the Referee, as covered in the rules. If the player comes out to play again after serving the penalty (for wearing or using dangerous equipment) and is still using or wearing the same piece of equipment, they will be assessed a second Minor penalty, plus a Gross Misconduct, as per Rule 10.6 (f).
If neither player intentionally removes a helmet or undoes a chinstrap prior to or during a fight but the helmets come off during the fight, one of the following three situations are possible:
A Bench Minor penalty will be assessed to any team who is guilty of Too Many Players on the ice.
Where a team commits “Deliberate Illegal Substitution” in the last two minutes of regular playing time or any time in overtime, a Penalty Shot will be awarded to the non-offending team.
Deliberate illegal substitution occurs when a team intentionally sends extra players onto the ice while play is in progress for the purpose of gaining an advantage, causing a stoppage of play or preventing a goal. Premature (early) substitution during a line change is not a deliberate illegal substitution situation.
A Bench Minor penalty will be assessed to any team who is guilty of Too Many Players on the ice.
Where a team commits “Deliberate Illegal Substitution” in the last two minutes of regular playing time or any time in overtime, a Penalty Shot will be awarded to the non-offending team.
No Major penalty may be assessed under this rule.
No Match penalty may be assessed under this rule.
No Misconduct penalty may be assessed under this rule.
No Game Misconduct penalty may be assessed under this rule.
During a stoppage of play, teams are changing players. One of the officials drops the puck to start play. Immediately after the play starts, the Referee notices that one of the teams has too many players on the ice. Must the Referee assess a Minor penalty?
RULING: No. If the Referee notices too many players immediately, they must stop play and correct the situation without assessing a penalty. If the Referee does not notice immediately and play continues with too many players on the ice, a Minor penalty would be assessed.
A player who is about to come on the ice plays the puck with their stick. This player has either one or both skates still on the bench.
RULING: Assess a Bench Minor penalty. A player must have both skates on the ice in order to participate in the play. This ruling would apply whether or not the team has the correct number of players on the ice. In the case of the player leaving the ice who plays the puck on the ice with one or both skates on the bench, the same ruling would apply.
If either the goaltender coming off, or the player coming on the ice plays the puck while the other one is still on the ice, a penalty for Too Many Players on the Ice will be assessed, regardless of whether or not the goaltender is within the 3.05 m (10 ft.) area. Before either player can play the puck, the other player must be on the bench.
Teams – team officials and players – are not permitted to suspend or conclude a game for any reason. The Head Coach is responsible for all actions of their team, including in a situation of refusal to start play.
A team is “refusing to start play” when:
PROCEDURE
When an incident of ‘refusing to start play’ has occurred, the Referee will assess a Bench Minor penalty for Delay of Game. If this occurs in the last two (2) minutes of regulation time or any time in overtime, a Penalty Shot shall be awarded in lieu of the Bench Minor penalty.
After the Bench Minor penalty is assessed, the offending team must resume play without any unnecessary delay.
If the offending team does not resume play promptly after the Bench Minor penalty is assessed, the Head Coach will be assessed a Game Misconduct penalty, and the game will be ‘forfeited’.
Where the Head Coach has been assessed a Game Misconduct penalty under this rule and the game has been forfeited, the Referee will report the individual(s) by completing a Game Incident Report, including full details and submitting the report to the appropriate Member or league delegate.
A Bench Minor penalty for ‘Delay of Game’ will be assessed to any team who refuses to start play.
If this occurs in the last two (2) minutes of regulation time or anytime in overtime, a Penalty shot will be assessed in lieu of the Bench Minor penalty.
No Major penalty may be assessed under this rule.
No Match penalty may be assessed under this rule.
No Misconduct penalty may be assessed under this rule.
A Game Misconduct penalty will be assessed to the Head Coach of any team who refuses to start play, after being assessed a Bench Minor penalty for Delay of Game.