Regel 41: Boarding

A boarding penalty shall be imposed on any Player who checks or pushes a defenseless opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to hit or impact the Boards violently or dangerously.

The severity of the penalty, based upon the impact with the Boards, shall be at the discretion of the Referee. There is an considerable amount of judgment involved in the application of this rule by the Referees. The duty is on the Player applying the check to ensure their opponent is not in a defenseless position and if so, they must avoid or minimize contact. However, in determining whether such contact could have been avoided, the circumstances of the check, including whether the opponent put themself in a vulnerable position immediately prior to or simultaneously with the check or whether the check was unavoidable can be considered. This balance must be considered by the Referees when applying this rule.
Any unnecessary contact with a Player playing the puck on an obvious “icing” or “off-side” play which results in that Player hitting or impacting the Boards is “boarding” and must be penalized as such. In other instances where there is no contact with the Boards, it should be treated as “charging.”

The Referee shall, at their discretion, assess a Minor Penalty, based on the degree of force and violence of the impact with the Boards, to a Player guilty of “boarding” an opponent.

The Referee, at their discretion, may assess a Major Penalty to a Player guilty of “boarding” an opponent, and who recklessly endangers the fouled Player in a way that at the discretion of the Referee such Player would not be sufficiently sanctioned by imposing a Minor Penalty. Refer to Rule 41.5 for the criteria for an additional Game Misconduct Penalty.

The Referee, at their discretion, may assess a Match Penalty if, in their judgment, the Player recklessly endangers their opponent by “boarding”. Such assessment of reckless endangerment shall be based on the severity of the infraction, severity of the contact, the degree of violence and the general reprehensibility involved.

When a Major Penalty is assessed under this rule for a “boarding” and, in the judgement of the Referee, such foul was likely to injure an opposing Player, a Game Misconduct shall also be assessed.

If deemed appropriate, Supplementary Discipline can be applied by the Proper Authorities at their discretion.
→ Rule 28 – Supplementary Discipline