Rule 8.4 – Interference from the Bench

No player, goaltender, or team official may interfere with the puck or play while on the Players’ Bench or Penalty Bench. A penalty for interference from the bench, will be assessed under the following circumstances:

1. Any person on the Players’ Bench or Penalty Bench makes deliberate contact with or otherwise impedes the progress of an opposing player, who is on the ice, or
2. Any person on the Players’ Bench or Penalty Bench throws a stick or object onto the ice.

Any person who commits any of these actions will be penalized under this rule, with the penalty announced as “interference”.

This rule is NOT intended to penalize a player who is participating in a line change and makes a play on the puck or an opposing player while still with one or both skates on the bench. This should be penalized as “too many players” under Rule 10.7 – Too Many Players.                                                                                            

1. A Bench Minor penalty and Game Misconduct will be assessed to any player who commits Interference From the Bench. If the offending individual cannot be identified, the Game Misconduct will not be assessed.

   If any player or team official interferes with an opponent who is on a breakaway in the neutral or attacking zone, then a Penalty Shot should be awarded to the non-offending team, in lieu of a Bench Minor penalty.

   If the offender is a team official, then a Gross Misconduct penalty must also be assessed (see Rule 8.4 (f)).

2. A Major penalty and Game Misconduct penalty, at the discretion of the referee, based on the degree of violence of impact, may be assessed to any player or team official who commits Interference From the Bench.

   A Major penalty and Game Misconduct penalty will be assessed to any player or team official who injures an opposing player by an Interference From the Bench infraction that would otherwise call for a Minor penalty.

3. A Match penalty will be assessed to any player who attempts to injure or deliberately injures an opponent by Interference from the Bench.

4. No Misconduct penalty may be assessed for Interference From the Bench.

5. A Game Misconduct penalty will be assessed in all situations under this rule, except if a Match penalty is assessed under 8.4 (c) or a Gross Misconduct penalty is assessed under 8.4 (f).

   Where a penalty shot is awarded under Rule 10.5 – Throwing or Shooting Stick or Object, and the stick or object was thrown from the Players’ or Penalty Bench, the offending player will also be assessed a Game Misconduct penalty for Interference from the Bench.

6. Where a Team Official commits Interference from the Bench, they must be assessed a Gross Misconduct penalty, in addition to any other penalties required by the rules.

   A Team Official will be considered to have committed Interference from the Bench if they make any deliberate physical contact with an opposing player, including but not limited to any fouls described in the Playing Rules.