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More hockey infractions


In hockey, if you do the crime, you'll do the time. In the penalty box, that is. There are a variety of infractions in hockey, and if players commit any of them, they'll pay the price by making their team play shorthanded.

Hockey's penalties are broken down into four basic categories - minors, majors, misconducts and game misconducts.

Minor penalties last for two minutes, but can end sooner if the opposing team scores. Major penalties have a five-minute duration, and must be served in their entirety regardless of how many goals an opponent scores.

Misconducts last 10 minutes, but the offender's team is not required to play shorthanded. Game misconducts and match penalties cause the offending player to be banished for the remainder of the game. In the case of game misconduct, the offender's team may play at full strength immediately, but if a match penalty is assessed, the offender's team must play a man short for five minutes.

Here is a guide to the various penalties called in the game of hockey.

Main glossary

BOARDING
Boarding penalties are called when players use excessive force to throw an opponent violently into the boards. Referees can call either a two-minute minor penalty or a five-minute major if the incident causes an injury to the victim's face or head. A major boarding penalty automatically brings with it a game misconduct. Players who receive a second boarding major during a season are subsequently suspended for one game.
BROKEN STICK
A player who breaks his stick during the course of play must drop it immediately. Continuing to play with the stick results in a two-minute minor penalty. Goaltenders are exempt from this rule. Players can replace a stick while play continues only by being handed a new one from the bench or from a teammate on the ice.
BUTT-ENDING
Butt-ending is the act of using the end of the stick's shaft to jab an opponent. Players attempting this are assessed a double-minor penalty. Players who do butt-end opponents are assessed a five-minute major penalty along with a game misconduct and an automatic $100 fine. A match-penalty is also handed out to players who injure opponents due to butt-ending.
CHECKING FROM BEHIND
This infraction is called when a player, unaware of an impending hit and therefore unable to defend himself, is checked from behind by an opponent. No penalty is assessed when a player intentionally turns his body to take a hit in the back. Checking from behind results in a five-minute major and a game misconduct. Players who incur two such penalties during the season are automatically suspended for one game. Players who receive a second boarding major during a season are subsequently suspended for one game.
CLIPPING
This infraction is called when a player deliberately throws his body across or below an opponent's knees. It results in a two-minute minor penalty unless the victim is injured, in which case the perpetrator is given a five-minute major and a game misconduct.
DELAY OF GAME
This is a two-minute minor penalty that can be called for several violations including deliberately shooting the puck out of the rink, intentionally dislodging the net, falling on the puck or closing the hand on the puck outside the goal crease, or holding up the start of play.
DELIBERATE INJURY OF OPPONENTS
Any player who intentionally injures an opponent is assessed a match penalty and is automatically suspended from further play until the Commissioner has ruled on the issue.
FIGHTING
Depending on the severity of the altercation, players are assessed either a two-minute minor (for roughing), a five-minute major or a five-minute major and a game misconduct. A player who is deemed to be the instigator of the fight gets a two-minute instigator minor penalty, five-minute fighting major and 10-minute misconduct. If a player receives two instigator penalities in one game, he receives a game misconduct.
HOLDING THE STICK
A player who holds an opponent's stick receives a two-minute minor penalty unless he is doing so to protect himself. In such cases, he must release the stick immediately.
KNEEING
Players who intentionally hit opponents with their knee are assessed a penalty. This can be either a two-minute minor penalty or a five-minute major or a match penalty. A major penalty also brings with it a game misconduct.
ROUGHING
When a player is involved in excessive pushing or shoving with an opponent, but the altercation is not worthy of a major penalty, a roughing penalty is called. This is a two-minute minor penalty.
SPEARING
When a player stabs an opponent with the blade of the stick, he is guilty of spearing. If the perpetrator does not make contact with his opponent, he will receive a four-minute double minor penalty for his action. If he makes contact by spearing, the player receives a five-minute major and a game misconduct, and if he causes an injury, he receives an automatic match penalty.
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT
Players who argue excessively with officials about calls or do not demonstrate the appropriate level of on-ice respect receive a two-minute minor penalty. Coaches can be penalized as well for the same actions, earning a two-minute bench minor for their team.
PENALTY SHOTS
A penalty shot is an opportunity for a player to have an unimpeded one-on-one scoring opportunity against an opposing goaltender. Several offenses result in this being called. They are: A defending player deliberately dislodging the net during a breakaway; a defending player deliberately dislodging the net when the penalty cannot be fully served in regulation time; a deliberate and illegal substitution when a penalty cannot be fully served in regulation time; a foul from behind on a breakaway; a player other than the goalie falling on the puck in the goal crease; a player other than the goalie picking up the puck with his hand in the goal crease; throwing or shooting an object at the puck in the defensive zone; interfering with a player on a breakaway by throwing or shooting an object; illegally entering a game and intefering with a player on a breakaway.