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Rules 2 - Common Penalties This week's edition of Coaches corner focuses on some of the most common penalties that are handed out during a game. There are 2 main types of Penalties that are awarded
The minor penalties are 2 minutes in duration. They are often used singly, together as a double minor if an infringement is deemed to be more severe or together with another more Major Penalty if the situation warrants it. There have been some rule changes during the 2003-2003 off season which have seen a more strict ruling on penalties and the duration of penalties. All players who are given a 5 minute Major penalty will also automatically be issued with a Game Misconduct Penalty. This means that if a player is issued with a 5 minute penalty any time during the game then they will be forced to leave the game and will not even be permitted to remain on the bench for the remainder of the game. The penalties we will cover this week are
Unsportsmanlike Conduct The first penalty to be covered in this article is Unsportsmanlike Conduct. This penalty can be assessed to Players and Officials alike and can often be avoided. Simple things like Swearing, slamming the stick against the boards and hitting the puck after the whistle will more than likely earn a player a Minor or Major penalty for Unsportsmanlike Conduct. If a player or team official challenges or disputes the ruling of a referee or any other game official then they will receive a Minor Penalty. If the person continues to dispute the ruling then the Referee can issue them with a Misconduct Penalty (10 minutes). If the player or team official persist in their dispute then they may be given a Game Misconduct and will have to leave the game. If a player refuses to get into the penalty bench, or dressing room in the case of a Game Misconduct or Match Penalty, then the team will be given a Bench Minor Penalty. This Bench Minor penalty can also be assessed if a player or team official uses obscene language to an official or interferes with the officials in any manner. If a player deliberately shoots the puck out of the way of the referee who is picking it up then they may be given a 10 Minute Misconduct Penalty. Any player or team official who intentionally touches, pushes, checks etc a game official will be immediately given a Game Misconduct penalty or a Gross Misconduct penalty. If it is a team official who transgresses then the team will be given a Bench Minor and the official a Gross Misconduct. Any player who spits at a game official will also be given, at the very least, a Gross Misconduct Penalty. Diving is also considered an Unsportsmanlike action and as such is covered in this penalty. Any player who is caught diving, or feigning injury so that the opposition will be assessed a penalty, will immediately be given a Minor Penalty. Slamming your stick on the boards, inciting an opposing player into incurring a penalty, deliberately throwing equipment out of the rink and using obscene language to any person inside the rink will immediately result in your receipt of a 10 Minute Misconduct penalty. Tripping Many players believe that the only way they will be called for tripping is if they put their stick in front of another player and the player trips over it. This is not the case. A player can be called for tripping if they place their stick, knee, foot, arm, hand or elbow in such a way that they cause another player to trip or fall. The referee can then call a Minor or a Major penalty depending on the severity of the infringement. If the player who was tripped was on a breakaway, had no one in front of him but the goalie and was in control of the puck then the referee may judge that the player was denied a reasonable opportunity to score and thus award him with a penalty shot. Slashing Any player who attempts to impede the progress of an opposing player by slashing them with their stick will be given either a Minor or a Major penalty and Game Misconduct depending on the severity of the infringement. If the opposing player is injured as a direct result of the slashing then the player who slashed will be given a Major Penalty and a Game Misconduct. If a player deliberately swings their stick at another player he may be assessed a Major penalty and a Game Misconduct or a Match Penalty. If a player is assessed a Match Penalty then he is automatically suspended for a predetermined amount of games. Hooking Any player who interferes with an opponent by hooking them with their stick will be given a Minor Penalty (2 Minutes) for Hooking. If the player injures their opponent by hooking them then the referee will hand out a Major Penalty (5 minutes) and the player will also be given a Game misconduct. As with the Tripping penalty if the referee judges that the player has missed a chance for a goal then he may award a penalty shot. High Sticking As with all rules, the high sticking rule is enforced to ensure the safety of all players on the ice. A player will be called for a high stick if their stick is carried above the shoulder. This includes trying to bat the puck down from the air. If the referee sees that there is a offensive player who has their stick above their shoulder then they will call, at a minimum, a stoppage in play outside of the zone that the play was in. If the player who has the high stick causes injury to any player then they will be assessed with a Major Penalty and will also receive a Game Misconduct. If the referee judges the contact to be accidental then
they may award a double Minor penalty, this being 2x2 minutes - 4 minutes
in total. Anytime that there is blood that is drawn the offending player
can expect to receive at least a double minor penalty.
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