Every game has rules to ensure fair play and prevent players from being injured. Ice hockey is no exception, and many of these rules are critically important in a game known for its speed and physicality.
But with so many rules added to the book over the years, it can be tough to keep track of what the on-ice officials are calling from minute to minute, or whether they’re right.
This article will help you understand all of the different types of penalties in professional hockey, and the types of actions that trigger them. So next time your team scores a goal only to have it taken off the board, or your favorite player ends up in the box, you’ll be able to quickly understand what happened.
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Types of Penalties in Hockey: Minor, Major, Misconduct & Match
Here is a comprehensive look at the different types of conduct that can result in a penalty in ice hockey, starting with most common ones seen during professional hockey games:
What is a Minor Penalty in Hockey?
The majority of penalties called during an ice hockey game are known as minor penalties. These are basic rules violations that land a player in the penalty box for two minutes, leaving their team shorthanded and resulting in a power play for the other team.
If a goal is scored by a team while it’s on a power play, the player in the box is released.
Here are the most common minors you can expect out on the ice:
Slashing: Slashing is when a player strikes an opponent with their stick, usually to the lower body or forearms.
High-sticking: High-sticking is when a player hits an opponent above the shoulder with their stick, whether intentionally or unintentionally. If a player is injured as a result, it can become a major penalty.
Tripping/slew footing: Tripping is when a player causes an opponent to fall due to contact with their stick, foot or other part of their body.
Hooking: Hooking is when a player uses their stick to “hook” an opponent, preventing them from moving normally.
Holding: Holding is when a player grabs an opponent by their body, stick or sweater to prevent them from moving and taking possession of the puck.
Holding the stick: Holding the stick is a type of holding penalty called specifically when a player holds an opponent’s stick.
Boarding: Boarding is when a player pushes or checks an opposing player violently into the boards. Though checking is allowed in hockey, boarding crosses the line, and boarding with intent to injure an opponent can become a more severe penalty.
Charging: Charging is when a player takes three or more strides towards an opponent before hitting them. The added momentum can lead to a much harder hit that can cause injury.
Roughing: Roughing is when a player pushes or shoves another player, either after the whistle has been blown to stop play or when it occurs away from the active play on the ice. Roughing is also occasionally called when a player’s hands contact an opponent’s face or head during an otherwise clean check.
Elbowing: Elbowing is when a player hits an opponent with their elbow. With injury, it’s major.
Kneeing: Kneeing is when a player hits an opponent with their knee. It’s a major penalty if it results in an injury.
Head contact: It’s illegal in hockey for a player to hit a player in any way that intentionally targets their head.
Interference: Interference is called when a player impedes an opponent who does not have the puck or is coming off the bench.
Delay of game: Delay of game is any action that stalls the game, including a player shooting a puck over the glass, holding it in their hand or a team taking too long to send players out for a face-off.
Unsportsmanlike conduct: Unsportsmanlike conduct in hockey includes arguing with referees, opponents, fans or others, making obscene gestures, using abusive language or using illegal equipment.
What are Double- and Triple- Minor Penalty in Hockey?
Occasionally, a referee can call a double or triple minor penalty against a player, sending them to the penalty box for multiple, consecutive two-minute intervals.
Major Penalties
Sometimes, a player does something so severe on the ice that it warrants the next step up in penalty calling: a major penalty and its associated 5-minute stay in the box. Though less common, these are typically called to ensure player safety due to more violent or dangerous actions, and a penalized team will remain shorthanded during one even if the other team scores.
Fighting: Fighting is when two or more players engage in a physical fight on the ice. Though fighting is commonplace in professional hockey games, and viewed as somewhat traditional by many fans, it is still illegal under the rules of ice hockey.
Spearing: Spearing is when a player stabs an opponent with the stick blade.
Butt-ending: Similar to spearing, butt-ending is when a player hits an opponent with the shaft or butt end of their stick.
Holding/grabbing the facemask: A more severe version of typical holding, when a player grabs the facemask of an opponent. This action carries much higher risk of serious injury than holding other parts of the player’s gear or body.
Pushing off of opponent with a skate: This major is called when a player uses their skate to make contact with an opponent, in a non-kicking motion.
Leaving the bench during a fight/joining a fight: Players who join an ongoing altercation are charged a major penalty.
Minor penalties deliberately intended to injury a player: Any minor penalty in hockey can instead be designated as a major penalty if the conduct is intended to injure the other player.
Misconduct Penalties
A misconduct penalty is the next most severe type of penalty, and it earns a player a full 10 minutes in the penalty box! During this time, other players can be substituted for the offending player.
Game Misconduct
More severe type of misconduct penalty that can be called against a player is known as game misconduct penalties. This type of penalty gets a player ejected from the game immediately, and they’re often added on to a major penalty when a player is injured as a result of the major.
These go down as 10-minute major penalties in the books, but the team is allowed to immediately replace the ejected player on the ice.
Match Penalties
A match penalty is similar to a game misconduct penalty, but the offending team must still play shorthanded for five minutes after the ejection. These are almost always called on severe infractions when a player tries to intentionally injure another player.
Goalie Penalties
Though less common than with skaters, penalties can be called against the goalies in ice hockey. When this happens, another player usually takes the goalie’s place in the penalty box, so as not to the leave the net unguarded.
Goalie penalties include:
- Delay of game
- Playing the puck in the restricted area (the area of ice behind the net, outside of the trapezoid.)
- Slashing
- Tripping
- Interference
- Holding the puck for too long
- Throwing their stick
- Throwing the puck forward
- Using illegal equipment
- Fighting
- Roughing
Goaltender Interference
Another specific type of penalty involving goaltenders is goaltender interference. This is when a player interferes with the goalie’s ability to move around to defend the net. This can be due to a stick, body position or other factor, and players have a duty to avoid contact with goalies at all times.
If a player makes intentional physical contact with the goalie while they are in the crease, it results in a goaltender interference call and the offending player gets a 2-minute minor. If the contact is incidental, no penalty is assessed but any goals scored on the play are nullified.
If the goalie leaves the crease and is hit by a player, interference will typically not be called, but that’s up to the ref to decide.
Coaches can challenge goaltender interferences calls.
Other Infractions
Sometimes, other actions taken by hockey players during a game that violate the rules can result in a stoppage in play and a consequence for the offending team, but no time in the penalty box for any player. These are known as infractions, and the two most common ones you’ll see during games are:
Icing: When a player shoots the puck down the ice over the red centerline, then over the red goal line in the opposing team’s zone without it being touched.
Offside: When a player enters the offensive zone before the puck is either shot into it without being iced or the friendly puck-carrier crosses over the blue line first.
What is a Delayed Penalty in Hockey?
Most of the time when a ref calls a penalty, it is not enforced immediately. Instead, they’ll raise their hand to indicate that a penalty has occurred and then blow the whistle to stop play once any player on the offending team touches the puck.
When Do Players Get a Penalty Shot?
If a penalty occurs against a player who has the puck and is on a breakaway toward the opposing goal, giving them an extremely good chance of scoring, the referee will sometimes choose to award that player a penalty shot instead of enforcing a minor penalty against the offending player due to the loss of a prime scoring opportunity.
A penalty shot gives the player who was on the breakaway a chance to take the puck from center ice by themselves and attempt to score, similar to how a shootout works.
Awarded Goals
Awarded goals is another rule that comes into play during a breakaway. Goals are often awarded if the net is knocked loose by the goalie during a breakaway chance, costing the other team a high-probability chance at a goal.
Ice Hockey Penalty Signals, Explained
Ever find yourself confused when you can’t hear the ref explaining a call, and can only see their hand movements? You’re not alone. Here’s your guide to understanding the signals refs use to designate the above penalties during hockey games:
- Boarding – Pounding the closed fist of one hand into the other hand’s open palm.
- Charging – Rotating clenched fists in a forward circular motion.
- Checking from Behind – Arms extended straight out in front with open hands.
- Cross-Checking – A pushing motion with both fists extended from the chest.
- Delay of Game – Arms extended above the head with palms open.
- Elbowing – Tapping the elbow with the opposite hand.
- High-Sticking – Holding both fists above the shoulders.
- Holding – Clutching the wrist of one hand with the other hand in front of the chest.
- Holding the Stick – One hand gripping the opposite wrist while making a pulling motion.
- Hooking – A tugging motion with both hands as if pulling something.
- Interference – Arms crossed in front of the chest.
- Kneeing – Slapping the knee with the palm of one hand.
- Roughing – A closed fist punching motion.
- Slashing – A chopping motion with one hand striking the opposite forearm.
- Spearing – Jabbing motion with both hands as if using a spear.
- Tripping – A forward sweeping motion with both hands extended downward.
- Unsportsmanlike Conduct – Arms extended outward with palms up.
- Too Many Men on the Ice – Tapping the wrist with the opposite hand.
- Match Penalty – Patting the palm of one hand on top of the closed fist of the other.
- Misconduct Penalty – Hands placed on hips.
- Penalty Shot – Arms crossed above the head.
- Delayed Penalty – One arm raised straight up.
And here’s how you know if a goal has been scored (aside from the extremely loud siren, flashing lights, quaking arena and delighted players of course), if a goal or penalty has been cancelled or if icing has occurred.
- Goal Scored – Pointing to the net.
- Washout (No Penalty/No Goal/Icing) – Arms waved straight out to the sides.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are some of the most common penalties in hockey?
Slashing, tripping, hooking, fighting and boarding are some of the most common hockey penalties seen in games.
What types of penalties are there in ice hockey?
Hockey includes minor penalties, major penalties, misconduct penalties and game misconduct penalties, plus various infractions.
What's the most time a player can spend in the penalty box due to a a single penalty?
10 minutes for the most severe penalties is the longest time a player can expect to spend in the penalty box, but players can be ejected for egregious offenses.
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