What is an Ice Hockey Penalty?

What is a penalty in a National Hockey League game? A penalty is given to players when they do things that are against the rules of the game. Typically, when a player receives a penalty, they are removed from the playing surface, the ice rink, for a specified period of time, and are forced to remain in the penalty box. The player may not participate in the game while they are in the penalty box.

When a player is removed from the ice because of a penalty, his team is forced to play for the duration of that penalty without him or a replacement player. This is often referred to as playing short-handed because they are playing with one less player than the competition. The other team is then considered to be on a power play.

When a player is sent to the penalty box, they will stay there and not be able to play for several minutes of game play. Often those penalties are referred to as minor penalties. Those penalties last two minutes long. That means that the penalized team must play the game with one less player for two minutes of game play.

While the opposite team is on a power play, there is a much greater chance for them to score a goal since they have, in essence, an additional player on the ice for the duration of the penalty. Penalties are usually two minutes long, however, if the opposing team scores during the time of the penalty, the penalty is then considered served and the player is allowed back onto the ice. So, if the opposite team scores a goal after only thirty seconds, the offending player is released from the penalty box one minute and thirty seconds early.

Playing with one less player isnt always such a disadvantage. But things get a lot more difficult for teams as more players incur penalties. Multiple players can incur penalties at any time. If one player is in the penalty box and a second player incurs a penalty, he is sent to the penalty box immediately. However, his penalty time only begins to run down after the first players time is up. So for example, if the first player has only been in the box for thirty seconds when the second player commits an infraction, then the second player is in the box for one minute and thirty seconds BEFORE his two-minute penalty clock starts running; in essence he would serve three minutes and thirty seconds. During this time the opposing team has two more players on the ice since the team with penalties has two players sitting in the penalty box.

If a game is tied after regulation time, there is overtime played. During the five-minute sudden death overtime period, the penalty rules are slightly different. The teams play four against four instead of five against five. If there is a penalty, then the teams play four against three. If there is a second penalty on one team that is already playing short handed, the opposing team gets to add a player. The opposing team will now be playing with a two-man advantage by playing with five players against three for the penalized team.

In the event that a penalty is called against a goaltender, or goalie, he is not removed to the penalty box; another player serves his time. This rule is in effect for most penalties. However, if the goalie has incurred too many penalties or committed too severe an infraction he may be ejected for the remainder of the game. The team is allowed to replace him immediately with their reserve goalie.

When teams are playing short handed, they are given the opportunity to send the puck the length of the ice without an icing infraction being whistled against them. This is very helpful as these teams are often in a defensive posture and are trying to keep the puck out of their defensive end because they are playing with one or more fewer players than their opponent. But this is the only advantage to incurring penalties. As in most sports, you dont really want to incur penalties; it hurts your chances to win.