(Note) (Except for Adults) Affiliates or governing bodies are authorized to reduce the length of match penalties for games under their jurisdiction according to the following period lengths:
• 12 minutes or less – 3:00 match penalty
• More than 12 but less than 17 minutes – 4:00 match penalty
• 17-20 minutes – 5:00 match penalty
(a) A “MATCH” penalty involves the immediate removal of a player or Team Official for the balance of the game and a five-minute time penalty, or the designated match penalty time, shall be assessed.
(Note) For all “MATCH” penalties, regardless of when imposed, or prescribed additional penalties, a total of 10 minutes shall be charged in the records against the offending player or Team Official.
(For all Youth, High School and Girls’ Age Classifications)
Unless immediate substitution is permitted under the coincidental major penalty Rule 403(c), the penalized team shall immediately place a substitute player on the penalty bench and such player shall not be changed.
(For Adult Classifications) 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 purposes of serving short-handed penalty time. When the match penalty expires, the penalized team may regain even strength by adding a player from the team bench.
(b) When coincidental match penalties have been imposed or when any combination of coincidental major and match penalties have been assessed to a player or players of both teams, Rule 403(c) covering coincidental major penalties will be applicable with respect to player substitutions.
(c) A player or Team Official incurring a match penalty shall be suspended from participating in all USA Hockey games and practices until their case has been dealt with by the proper authorities. Appropriate discipline will be determined using the USA Hockey Standardized Discipline Policy (see Preface).
If a hearing is requested by either party (the offending player/team official or the proper authorities), it shall be offered to be held within 30 days of the incident (“30-day period”) together with a decision in accordance with Bylaw 10D (Suspension Hearings/Domestic Competition Playing Rules). If extenuating circumstances prevent the proper authorities from conducting the hearing within the 30-day period, the player or Team Official shall be automatically reinstated after the 30-day period. The failure to offer the
hearing shall not prohibit the hearing body from conducting the hearing after the 30-day period and imposing further disciplinary action.
If the proper authorities decide to suspend the offending player or coach as a result of a match penalty, the minimum suspension must be one complete game. All additional suspensions, after a hearing, must include the next game appearing on the offending team’s game schedule.
(Note) The Referee is required to file an incident report for all match penalties and the surrounding circumstances no later than 24 hours following the game in which they occur.
(d) Any Team Official or player who is assessed a match penalty may not remain near the bench of their team, nor in any way attempt to direct the play of their team for the balance of the game in which the match penalty has been issued.
(e) Original jurisdiction in any hearing resulting from a match penalty assessed under Rule 601(e.1) (Physical Assault of Officials) shall reside with the Affiliate.