INTERPRETATIONS 

Interpretation 1

Rule 10.4 (a) 

If a player is serving a coincidental Minor penalty or a Misconduct penalty, and comes on the ice before their penalty has expired, they will receive a Minor penalty. The Referee would put a player in the box to serve the Minor penalty immediately and delay the remainder of the coincidental Minor penalty or Misconduct penalty for two minutes. After the Minor is over, the balance of the coincidental Minor penalty or Misconduct penalty can be completed. 

Interpretation 2

Rule 10.4 (a) 

If a player leaves the Penalty Bench before their penalty time has expired and that player is fouled in any manner, the appropriate penalty will be assessed and the player would return to the Penalty Bench to serve the remainder of their penalty. The only exception would be that no Penalty Shot or goal may be awarded in this situation, as a goal may not be scored by their team, while the penalized player is illegally on the ice. 

Interpretation 3

Rule 10.4 (a) 

In some arenas, the players’ and Penalty Benches are side by side with no physical barrier between them. If, when a player’s penalty expires, they do not proceed to their Players’ Bench by way of the ice, that player will be assessed a Minor penalty under Rule 10.4 (a)(iv). 

If a player on the Penalty Bench leaves the Penalty Bench early on their own accord without proceeding by way of the ice to their Players’ Bench with five seconds remaining in their original penalty. What penalty or penalties do you assess the player? 

RULING: A Minor penalty will be assessed to the offending player for leaving the Penalty Bench prematurely (Rule 10.4 (a)(i) and a second Minor penalty would be assessed for not proceeding to the Players’ Bench by way of the ice (Rule 10.4 (a)(iv). Therefore, in addition to the five seconds remaining in the original penalty, the player would have to serve a total of 4:05 minutes. 

Interpretation 4

Rule 10.4 (a) 

If an Off-ice Official permits a player to return to the ice before their time has actually expired, this error must be corrected during the first stoppage of play after the player left the Penalty Bench. Unserved penalty time would be added to the penalty clock. Additional game time will only be added to the game clock in the event the game has ended, either in the third period (no overtime) or during overtime OR in the event unexpired penalty time is greater than the amount of time remaining in the game. The unexpired penalty time will be added to both the game clock and penalty clock 

EXAMPLE A: A player of Team A received a Minor penalty at 8:30. At 7:00, due to a Timekeeper’s error, the player left the Penalty Bench. At 6:30, the penalty would have been up. Team A scored at 5:45 with the player on the ice. This is the first stoppage of play since the Timekeeper’s error and this error is immediately brought to the attention of the Referee. 

RULING: The goal would be dis-allowed, despite the actual penalty time being expired when the goal was scored, and the player would be required to return to the Penalty Bench to serve the remaining 30 seconds. 

EXAMPLE B: A player of Team A received a Minor penalty at 8:30. At 7:00, due to a Timekeeper’s error, the player left the Penalty Bench. Team A scored at 6:40. At 6:30 the penalty would have been up. When Team A scored at 6:40, which was the first stoppage of play, the error was discovered. 

RULING: Since the player of Team A was illegally on the ice, as there was still time remaining in their penalty, the goal would not be allowed and the player would be required to return to the Penalty Bench to serve the 30 seconds that they had not served previously. 

EXAMPLE C: A player of Team A received a Minor penalty at 8:30. At 7:00, due to the Timekeeper’s error, the player left the Penalty Bench. At 6:40, Team A scored and at 6:30 the actual penalty time should have expired. At 5:50, the next stoppage of play, the Timekeeper’s error was discovered and reported to the Referee. 

RULING: The goal will not be allowed and the player will be required to go back to the Penalty Bench to serve the 30 seconds remaining in their penalty. The reason for this ruling is that the stoppage of play at 5:50 is actually the first stoppage of play following the actual time when the penalty should have expired. The goal at 6:40 was not actually the first stoppage of play 

Interpretation 5

Rule 10.4 (d) 

No player may leave the Players’ or Penalty Bench for the purpose of starting or becoming involved a fight. 

What penalties are assessed if:

i)     A8 initiates or instigates the fight and both players fight?

ii)    A fight takes place with both players being willing participants?

iii)   A fight takes place with B6 being the instigator?

RULING

i)     A8 - double Minor plus Game Misconduct for leaving Players’ Bench for purpose of starting a fight, plus Minor for Instigating, plus Major for Fighting + Game Misconduct. B6 – Major penalty for Fighting plus Game Misconduct.

ii)    A8 would not receive the Minor for Instigating. All other penalties would remain the same as in (i) above.

iii)   A8 would receive a Major for Fighting and Game Misconduct. B6 would receive a Minor for Instigator, plus a Major for Fighting and Game Misconduct.

Note: This interpretation would apply if A8 entered the game during the play and immediately becomes involved in a fight.  

Interpretation 6

Rule 10.4 (d) 

Where the first player to leave a bench and participate in a fight comes from the Penalty Bench, they will be assessed three minor penalties, plus a Game Misconduct penalty, plus any other penalties they may be assessed under the rules. They receive a double Minor penalty and Game Misconduct penalty for being the first player to leave the Penalty Bench, plus another Minor penalty for leaving the Penalty Bench before their penalty expires.