Coincidental Penalties

19.1 Coincidental Minor Penalties - When coincidental minor penalties or coincidental minor penalties of equal duration are imposed against players of both teams, the penalized players shall all take their places on the penalty benches and such penalized players shall not leave the penalty bench until the first stoppage of play following the expiry of their respective penalties. Where goalkeepers are involved, refer to 27.1. Immediate substitution shall be made for an equal number of minor penalties or coincidental minor penalties of equal duration to each team so penalized and the penalties of the players for which substitutions have been made shall not be taken into account for the purpose of the delayed penalty rule (Rule 26 – Delayed Penalties). This rule only applies when at least one team is already serving a time penalty in the penalty box that causes them to be short-handed.

When one minor penalty is assessed to one player of each team at the same stoppage in play, these penalties will be served without substitution provided there are no other penalties in effect and visible on the penalty clocks. Both teams will therefore play four skaters against four skaters for the duration of the minor penalties.

Should one or both of these players (or any other players) also incur a misconduct penalty in addition to their one minor penalty, this rule shall apply and the teams would still play four skaters against four skaters (the player incurring the misconduct penalty would have to serve the entire 12 minutes – minor plus misconduct – and his team would have to place an additional player on the penalty bench to serve the minor penalty and be able to return to the ice when the minor penalty expires).

When multiple penalties are assessed to both teams, equal numbers of minor and major penalties shall be eliminated using the coincidental penalty rule and any differential in time penalties shall be served in the normal manner and displayed on the penalty time clock accordingly (see 19.5). If there is no differential in time penalties, all players will serve their allotted penalty time, but will not be released until the first stoppage of play following the expiration of their respective penalties.

For coincidental penalties that carry over into, or are assessed during regular-season overtime, refer to 84.3, to Reference Tables – Table 17 – Penalties In Effect Prior to the Start of Overtime – Regular Season on page 160, and to Reference Tables – Table 18 – Penalties Assessed in Overtime – Regular Season on page 161. 19.2 Coincidental Major Penalties - When coincidental major penalties or coincidental penalties of equal duration, including a major and/or a match penalty, are imposed against players of both teams, the penalized players shall all take their places on the penalty benches and such penalized players shall not leave the penalty benches until the first stoppage of play following the expiry of their respective penalties. Immediate substitutions shall be made for an equal number of major penalties, or coincidental penalties of equal duration including a major penalty to each team so penalized, and the penalties of the players for which substitutions have been made shall not be taken into account for the purpose of the delayed penalty rule, (Rule 26 – Delayed Penalties). In such situations, if one or both players have received a game misconduct in addition to their major penalties, no substitutes are required to take their places on the penalty benches.

19.3 Coincidental Match Penalties - When coincidental match penalties or coincidental penalties of equal duration, including a major and/or a match penalty, are imposed against players of both teams, the players with the match penalties shall be immediately removed from the game. The remaining penalized players shall not leave the penalty benches until the first stoppage of play following the expiry of their respective penalties. Immediate substitutions shall be made for an equal number of major and/or match penalties, or coincidental penalties of equal duration including a major or match penalty to each team so penalized, and the penalties of the players for which substitutions have been made shall not be taken into account for the purpose of the delayed penalty rule, (Rule 26 – Delayed Penalties).

19.4 Last Five Minutes and Overtime - During the last five (5) minutes of regulation time, or at any time in overtime, when a minor penalty (or double-minor penalty) is assessed to one player of Team A, and a major (or match) penalty is assessed to one player of Team B at the same stoppage of play, the three-minute (or one-minute) differential shall be served immediately as a major penalty. This is also applicablewhen coincidental penalties are negated, leaving the aforementioned examples. In such instances, the team of the player receiving the major penalty must place the replacement player in the penalty bench prior to expiration of the penalty. In the case of a match penalty, the team must place the replacement player in the penalty bench immediately. The differential will be recorded on the penalty clock as a three (3) minute or a one (1) minute penalty (as applicable), and served in the same manner as a major penalty. This rule shall be applied regardless as to the on-ice strength of the two teams at the time the above outlined penalties are assessed.

19.5 Applying the Coincidental Penalty Rule – When multiple penalties are assessed to both teams at the same stoppage of play, the following rules are to be utilized by the Referees to determine the onice strength for both teams: (i) Cancel as many major and/or match penalties as possible (ii) Cancel as many minor, bench minor and or double-minor penalties as possible Refer to Reference Tables - Table 15 – Coincidental Penalties on page 151.