(Note) (Except for Adults) Affiliates or governing bodies are authorized to reduce the length of major penalties for games under their jurisdiction according to the following period lengths:
• 12 minutes or less – 3:00 major penalty
• More than 12 but less than 17 minutes – 4:00 major penalty
• 17-20 minutes – 5:00 major penalty
(a) For a “MAJOR PENALTY,” any player, except the goalkeeper, shall be ruled off the ice for five minutes, or the designated major penalty time, during which time no on-ice substitute shall be permitted.
(b) For the second major penalty in the same game to the same player or goalkeeper, the game misconduct penalty assessed shall cause the player or goalkeeper to be suspended for their team’s next two games. This two-game suspension is in addition to any other required suspensions incurred during the same incident.
(c) When an equal number of major penalties (coincidental), are assessed to players from both teams, the penalized players shall take their place on the penalty bench and immediate substitution will take place for an equal number of major penalties. The penalized players shall not leave the penalty bench until the first stoppage of play following the expiration of their penalties. Additional minor or major penalties assessed at the same stoppage that are not considered coincidental penalties shall be served in the normal manner.
The coincidental penalty rule shall also apply in all situations where penalties of equal duration (minor or major penalties) are assessed to both teams.
Coincidental major penalties shall not be taken into account for the purpose of a delayed penalty under Rule 408 (Delayed Penalties).
(d) (For all Youth, High School and Girls’ Age Classifications) When a player is assessed a major plus game misconduct penalty, unless immediate substitution is permitted under the coincidental major penalty Rule 403(c), the penalized team shall immediately place an additional or substitute player on the penalty bench and such player may not be changed.
(For Adult Classifications) When a player is assessed a major plus game misconduct penalty, unless immediate substitution is permitted under the coincidental major penalty Rule 403(c), the penalized team shall not be required to place an additional or substitute player on the penalty bench for the purpose of serving short-handed penalty time. When the major penalty expires, the penalized team may regain even-strength by adding a player from the team bench.
