What Is A Match Penalty In Hockey?
Match penalties are the most serious penalties assessed in-game in hockey.
Match penalties result in the immediate removal of the offending player or team personnel from a game and a 5-minute penalty. For players that receive this penalty, a substitution must be made immediately, and the substitute must serve the allotted time in the penalty box before joining the game. Team personnel who receive this penalty cannot sit anywhere near the team bench and must relocate to the locker room or other area.
Match Penalty Result
Players or team personnel who receive a match penalty cannot participate in future games until the necessary league officials review the case. A hearing is often held to determine the repercussions of the player’s or personnel’s actions. Additional suspensions or fines are typical punishments for players that have committed an egregious match penalty. All off-ice consequences are imposed by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety.
Examples of Match Penalties
- A player skates at full speed and intentionally checks an opposing player from behind against the boards, causing an extremely dangerous collision.
- A player winds his stick up and chops at an opposing player’s head, clearly intending to injure them.
- Two players are engaged in a fight that the referee is actively trying to break up. One of the players starts punching the referee intentionally, which is severely illegal.
List of Match Penalties
- Attempt to injure
- Biting
- Boarding
- Butt-ending
- Charging
- Checking from behind
- Clipping
- Cross-checking
- Deliberate injury
- Elbowing
- Holding the face mask
- Head-butting
- High-sticking
- Illegal Check to the Head
- Kicking a player
- Kneeing
- Punching and injuring an unsuspecting opponent
- Slashing
- Slew-footing
- Spearing
- Throwing stick or any object
- Wearing tape on hands in altercation
FAQ
What is a 5 minute match penalty in hockey?
In hockey, a match penalty is the most serious form of in-game punishment, which results in a player being removed from the remainder of the game. As a result of the offending player’s ejection, one of their teammates must serve 5 minutes in the penalty box in their place. Match penalties can be given to any player or team official. The player or team official will also receive future game suspensions until the case is reviewed by the league and appropriate consequences are enforced.
Is there a 10 minute penalty in hockey?
A 10-minute penalty in hockey occurs as a result of receiving a game misconduct penalty. Game misconduct penalties can be given to any player. Regarding the punishment, any player (except for the goalie) who committed the penalty will have to sit in the penalty box for 10 minutes before returning to the game. A substitute player is allowed to replace the penalized player immediately.
What causes a 5 minute penalty in hockey?
A 5-minute penalty in hockey is a result of a player intending to injure an opponent. During this time, a player is required to stay in the penalty box before returning to the ice. Some of the actions that warrant a major 5-minute penalty include butt-ending, checking from behind, fighting, being a fight instigator, holding or grabbing someone’s face mask, pushing off of an opposing player with a skate, leaving the bench during an altercation, and spearing. Minor penalties that have intent to injure can also result in a 5-minute penalty.