Ice Hockey Penalties - List of Infractions

List of Infractions

In the NHL, infractions that result in penalties include:

Abuse of officials

Arguing with, insulting, using obscene gestures or language directed at or in reference to, or deliberately making violent contact with any on or off-ice official. This generally is issued in addition to other penalties or as a bench penalty against a coach or off-ice player, and is grounds for ejection under a game misconduct or match penalty in most leagues including the NHL.

Aggressor penalty

Assessed to a player who engages in a fight with an unwilling combatant. This is independent of the instigator penalty, and both are usually not assessed to the same player at one time (in that case the player's penalty for fighting is usually escalated to deliberate injury of opponents, which carries a match penalty).

Attempt to injure

Deliberately trying to harm an opponent (successfully or not). This type of infraction carries an automatic match penalty.

Biting

Carries a major penalty.

Boarding

Pushing an opponent violently into the boards while the player is facing the boards.

Butt-ending (or Stabbing)

Jabbing an opponent with the end of the shaft of the stick. It carries an automatic major penalty and sometimes a game misconduct.

Broken stick

Engaging in play while holding a broken stick.

Charging

Taking more than three strides or jumping before hitting an opponent.

Checking from behind

Hitting an opponent from behind is a penalty. It carries an automatic minor penalty and misconduct, or a major penalty and game misconduct if it results in injury. See checking. This is generally allowed in the NHL, as long as the player is not violently thrown into the boards, or if the player's head is not specifically targeted.

Illegal check to the head

As of the start of the 2010-11 NHL season, any form of "lateral or blind side hit to an opponent, where the player's head is targeted and/or the principal point of contact" is punishable with a combination five-minute major penalty and game misconduct, due to the increasing concern following concussion injuries to NHL players following incidents such as David Booth and Marc Savard's concussions in the 2009-10 NHL season. A second incident of this type caused by the same player in a season (or post-season playoffs) results in an automatic suspension for the following game their team plays, with the potential for increasing durations of suspension from active play, for any subsequent checks to opposing players' head areas.

Clipping

Delivering a check below the knees of an opponent. If injury results, a major penalty and a game misconduct will result.

Cross-checking

Hitting an opponent with the stick when it is held with two hands and no part of the stick is on the ice.

Delay of game

Stalling the game (for example, shooting the puck out of play, holding the puck in the hand, refusing to send players out for a faceoff, or even repeated deliberate offsides). As part of the rule changes following the 2004–05 NHL lockout, NHL officials also call an automatic delay of game penalty to goaltenders that go into the corners behind the goal line (outside a trapezoid-shaped area just behind the net) to play the puck. Some delay of game offenses, such as taking too long to send players to take a faceoff, are not punished with a penalty: instead, the official may choose to eject the center of the offending team from the face-off circle and order him replaced with another player already on the ice.

Diving (or "embellishment")

Falling to the ice in an attempt to draw a penalty.

Elbowing

Hitting an opponent with the elbow.

Eye-gouging

Carries a major penalty and often a match penalty.

Fighting (Fisticuffs)

Engaging in a physical altercation with an opposing player, usually involving the throwing of punches with gloves removed or worse. Minor altercations such as simple pushing and shoving, and punching with gloves still in place, are generally called as Roughing.

Goaltender Interference

Physically impeding or checking the goalie. Visually impeding the goalie's view of the play with the body, called "screening", is legal; but at no time may a goaltender be hit or checked.

Goaltender Leaving Crease

A goaltender may not leave the vicinity of his crease during an altercation. Once he has left the crease during an altercation, he may be given a penalty.

Head-butting

Hitting an opponent with the head. A match penalty is called for doing so.

High-sticking

Touching an opponent with the stick above shoulder level. A minor penalty is assessed to the player. If blood is drawn, a double-minor (4 minutes) is usually called. A common (yet false) belief is that blood drawn automatically warrants a double-minor. There is no such rule; this is, however, the precedent that has been in place for years. Referees may use their discretion to assess only a minor penalty even though blood was drawn. They may also assess a double-minor when blood is not drawn, but he believes that the player was sufficiently injured or that the offending player used excessively reckless action with his stick. If a player, while in the action of "following through" on a shot, strikes an opposing player in the head or face area with his stick, high sticking is not called unless the referee can determine that the player taking the shot was deliberately aiming to strike the opposing player. A penalty is also not called when the puck is hit by a high stick, but play will be stopped and the ensuing faceoff will take place at a spot which gives the non-offending team an advantage. Also, a goal that is scored by means of hitting the puck with a stick above the height of the crossbar will not be counted, except if the goaltender is credited with his own goal, but an opponent scored against his own team.

Holding

Grabbing an opponent's body, equipment or clothing with the hands or stick. Generally a minor; USA Hockey rules call for a major and a game misconduct for grabbing and holding a facemask or visor.

Holding the stick

Grabbing and holding an opponent's stick, also called when a player deliberately wrenches a stick from the hands of an opposing player or forces the opponent to drop it by any means that is not any other penalty such as Slashing.

Hooking

Using a stick as a hook to slow an opponent, no contact is required under new standards.

Illegal Equipment

Using equipment that does not meet regulations, either by size (length, width) or number (two sticks) or other guidelines (e.g. a goalie's facemask can no longer be the "Jason Voorhees"-style form-fit mask, a skater may not have a stick with a curve exceeding 3/4" (19 mm), nor may they play with a goalie's stick. A goalie may play with a regular player's stick.). If a player (non-goalie) broke a stick, it is mandatory to drop the stick immediately and play without it until getting a replacement from the bench. Otherwise this penalty will be assessed to the offending player (some game summaries call this "playing with a broken stick"). In addition, in the NHL a player may not pick a broken stick up off the ground after it has been dropped (they can only receive a stick from another player or from the bench; goalkeepers may not go to the bench but must have a stick carried out to them). This rule is generally not enforced in amateur leagues except for broken sticks or egregiously out-of-spec equipment as the cost of acquiring gear that meets NHL specifications "post-lockout" is prohibitive, especially for goalies. Goalies will now receive a two-game suspension for the use of oversized equipment. Their teams will also be fined $25,000 and the trainer will be docked $10,000.

Instigator penalty

An instigator of an altercation is a player who demonstrates any of the following actions: distance travelled; gloves off first; first punch thrown; menacing attitude. A player deemed an instigator will receive a instigating minor penalty. A player who instigates a fight in the final five minutes of a game will receive an automatic one-game suspension. The length of the suspension would double for each additional incident. The players coach will be fined $10,000, a penalty that would double for each recurrence.

Interference

Impeding an opponent who does not have the puck, or impeding any player from the bench.

Joining a fight

Also called the "3rd man in" rule, the first person who was not part of a fight when it broke out but participates in said fight once it has started for any reason (even to pull the players apart) is charged with an automatic game misconduct in addition to any other penalties they receive for fighting.

Kicking

Kicking an opponent with the skate or skate blade. Kicking carries a match penalty if done with intent to injure, but otherwise carries a major penalty and a game misconduct. (Under Hockey Canada rules, kicking or attempting to kick an opponent always carries a Match Penalty regardless of intent.)

Kneeing

Hitting an opponent with the knee.

Leaving the Penalty Bench

A penalized player who leaves the penalty bench before his penalty has expired, whether play is in progress or not, shall incur an additional minor penalty after serving his unexpired penalty. Any player who, having entered the penalty bench, leaves the penalty bench prior to the expiration of his penalty for the purpose of challenging an official’s ruling, shall be assessed a game misconduct penalty. He shall also be automatically suspended for the next three (3) regular League and/or playoff games of his Club.

Participating in the play beyond the center red line (goalkeeper)

A rare penalty, carries a minor penalty and is only assessed against the goalie.

Playing with Too Many Sticks

When a player plays with more than one stick. For example, if a goalie were to lose his stick and a player from his team skates over to pick up the goalie stick and then, while skating back to the goalie with both sticks, attempts to touch a live puck with either stick, will be called for Playing with Too Many Sticks.

Roughing

Pushing and shoving after the whistle has been blown or checking an opponent with the hands in his face. Also called in non-checking leagues when an illegal body check is made.

Secondary Altercation

This infraction is not listed in the NHL Rulebook, but it is prevalent in the Central Hockey League (USA) and other minor leagues. It is most commonly issued when players engage in or attempt to engage in fight after the original fight (between two separate players). This infraction carries an automatic game misconduct penalty.

Slashing

Swinging a stick at an opponent, no contact is required under new standards.

Slew Footing

Rarely called, as it is easily concealed. Tripping an opponent by using your feet. Most of the time simply called as "Tripping"; Slew footing as a penalty in fact does not exist in the USA Hockey rulebook as of 2005-2006.

Spearing

Stabbing an opponent with the stick blade. It carries an automatic major penalty and game misconduct.

Starting the wrong lineup

This very rare bench minor penalty is called when the offending team fails to put the starting lineup on the ice at the beginning of each period, the exception being injuries. For this penalty to be called, the captain of the non-offending team must bring this breach of the rules to the referee's attention immediately at the first stoppage of play. Also the penalty may be given if a player is not put on the scoresheet at the beginning of the game and plays. The only way for this to be called is if the official scorer notifies the referee of this oversight.

Substitution infraction (Illegal Substitution)

This rare bench minor penalty is called when a substitution or addition is attempted during a stoppage of play after the linesmen have signalled no more substitutions (once the face-off is set) or if a team pulls its goalie and then attempts to have the goalie re-enter play at any time other than during a stoppage of play. Too many men on the ice and/or starting the wrong lineup can also simply be called a substitution infraction.

Throwing the Stick/Throwing Stick/Throwing Equipment

Often accompanied by a penalty shot. If any player on the ice who throws his stick or any part thereof or any other object (i.e. equipment) in the direction of the puck or an opponent in any zone, except when such act has been penalized by the assessment of a penalty shot or the awarding of a goal then a minor penalty will be assessed. Should any player, Coach, or non-playing person on the players’ bench or penalty bench throw anything on the ice during the progress of the game or during a stoppage of play, a bench minor penalty unsportsmanlike conduct shall be assessed. Can be upgraded to game misconduct or match penalty depending on severity.

Too many men on the ice

Having more than the allowable number of players (six, including the goalie, if not already short handed) on the ice involved in the play at any given time. "Involved in the play" is key; players that are entering the ice as substitutes for players coming off (line changing) may enter the ice once the player returning to the bench is less than five (5) feet from his team's bench (Rule 74.1); at that point the returning player is considered out of the play, even if the play passes in front of the bench, unless he actively makes a move for the puck. Players entering the ice are part of the play as soon as their skates touch the ice.

Tripping

Using a stick or one's body to trip an opponent, no contact is required under new standards.

Unsportsmanlike conduct

Arguing with a referee; using slurs against an opponent or teammate; playing with illegal equipment; making obscene gestures or abusing an official. Can carry either a minor, misconduct, game misconduct or match penalty, depending on the gravity of the infraction (for instance, using obscene language to a referee initially results in a minor, but making an obscene gesture to an opponent, fan or official carries a game misconduct.) Also, in some leagues the penalty progression is different for players and team officials (for example, in the USA Hockey rulebook players get a minor for their first infraction, a misconduct for their second and a game misconduct for their third, whereas the option of a misconduct is removed for coaches; in addition, after each penalty for a team official, the penalty count resets itself). Unsportsmanlike conduct may also be called if a player drops gloves and stick in preparation for a fight, but the non-offending player does not drop the corresponding equipment and has committed no action (verbal or physical harassment) to attempt to instigate a fight. Since 2008, the NHL has ruled that standing in front of an opposing goalie and engaging "in actions such as waving his arms or stick in front of the goaltender's face, for the purpose of improperly interfering with and/or distracting the goaltender" will draw a minor unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, a rule interpretation inspired by the play of Sean Avery against Martin Brodeur.