Regel 63: Delaying the Game

A Player or a Team may be penalized when, in the opinion of the Referee, they are delaying the game in any manner.

A Minor Penalty for “Delay of Game” shall be assessed:
(I) On any Player, including the Goalkeeper, who holds, “freezes” or plays the puck with their stick, skates or body in such a manner as to deliberately cause a stoppage of play. Regarding to a Goalkeeper, this rule applies outside of their Goal Crease area;

(II) On any Player who deliberately shoots or bats (using their hand or stick) the puck outside the playing area (from anywhere on the ice surface) during the play or after a stoppage of play;

(III) On any Player who shoots or bats (using their hand or stick) the puck directly (non-deflected) out of the playing surface from their Defending Zone, except where there is no Protective Glass.
The determining factor shall be the position of the puck when it was shot or batted by the offending Player. If contact with the puck occurs while the puck is inside the Defending Zone, and subsequently goes out of play, the Minor Penalty shall be assessed. When the puck is shot over the Protective Glass “behind” the Players’ Bench, the penalty will be assessed. Note: When the puck is shot into the Players’ Bench, the penalty will not apply. When the puck goes out of the playing area directly off a “face-off”, no penalty shall be assessed;

(IV) On any Player who delays the game by deliberately displacing a Goal Post from its normal position. The Referee shall stop play immediately when the offending Team gains “control” of the puck.
Note: If a Player deliberately displaces a Goal Post from its normal position when an opponent has an imminent scoring opportunity on an open net, a goal may be awarded by the Referee – see Rule 63.7 – Awarded Goal.

(V) On a Player other than the Goalkeeper who deliberately falls on or gathers the puck into their body; Note: Any Player who drops to their knees to block a shot should not be penalized if the puck is shot under them or becomes lodged in their clothing or equipment but any use of the hands to make the puck unplayable should be penalized promptly;

(VI) On a Goalkeeper who “races out” of their Goal Crease in an attempt to beat the attacking Player to the puck and instead of playing the puck jumps on the puck causing a stoppage of play; Note: If a Goalkeeper comes out of their Goal Crease to “cut down the angle” on a shot and after making the save covers the puck, this shall be legal.

(VII) On a Goalkeeper who, when they are in their own Goal Crease, deliberately falls on or gathers the puck into their body or who holds or places the puck against any part of the goal in such a manner as to cause a stoppage of play unless they are actually being checked by an opponent;

(VIII) On a Goalkeeper who plays the puck outside of the Designated Area behind the net. The determining factor shall be the position of the puck. Note: The Minor Penalty will not be assessed when a Goalkeeper plays the puck while maintaining skate contact with the Goal Crease.

(IX) For adjustments to clothing, equipment, skates, or sticks. Note: No penalty should be assessed when a water bottle is delivered to a Goalkeeper, however, this should be conducted during time-outs and if, in the opinion of the Referee, it is being done to intentionally delay the game, a Minor Penalty may be assessed.

(X) No delay shall be permitted for the repair or adjustment of Goalkeeper’s equipment. If adjustments are required, the Goalkeeper shall leave the ice and their place shall be taken by the substitute Goalkeeper immediately. For an infraction of this rule by a Goalkeeper, a Minor Penalty shall be imposed.

A Bench Minor Penalty shall be imposed upon any Team which, after warning by the Referee to its Captain or Alternate Captain to place the correct number of Players on the ice and commence play, fails to comply with the Referee’s direction and thereby causes any delay by making additional substitutions (including, but not limited to, continually substituting Goalkeepers for the purpose of stalling or delaying the game), by persisting in having its Players off-side, or in any other manner.

When the net is accidentally displaced by an attacking Player, and the defending side is in control of the puck and moving out of their zone, play shall be permitted to continue until such time as the non-offending Team loses control of the puck.

The resulting “face-off” will take place at a Face-off Spot in the zone nearest the location where the play was stopped, unless it is in the non-offending Team’s Defending Zone, and as such the ensuing “face-off” would be outside the Blue Line at one of the Face-off Spots in the Neutral Zone.
It is possible for a goal to be scored at one end of the Rink, while the net at the other end has been dislodged, provided that the Team being scored upon is the Team responsible for dislodging the net at the other end of the Rink.

Not applicable. In the event that objects are thrown on the ice that interfere with the progress of the game, the Referee shall blow the whistle and stop the play and the puck shall be faced-off at a face-off spot in the zone nearest to the spot where play is stopped.

If by reason of insufficient time in the regular playing time or by reason of penalties already imposed, the Minor Penalty assessed to a Player for deliberately displacing their own Goal Post cannot be served in its entirety within the regular playing time of the game or at any time in Overtime, a “Penalty Shot” shall be awarded against the offending Team.

No defending Player, except the Goalkeeper, will be permitted to fall on the puck, hold the puck, pick up the puck, or gather the puck into the body or hands when the puck is within the Goal Crease.
For infringement of this rule, play shall immediately be stopped and a “Penalty Shot” shall be ordered against the offending Team, but no other penalty shall be given. The rule shall be interpreted so that a “Penalty Shot” will be awarded only when the puck is in the Goal Crease at the instant the offense occurs.

However, in cases where the puck is outside the Goal Crease, Rule 63 may still apply and a Minor Penalty may be imposed, even though no “Penalty Shot” is awarded. The significant factor when determining whether or not a “Penalty Shot” is warranted is the location of the puck at the time it was held, grabbed or gathered into the body.
If the puck is in the Goal Crease, a “Penalty Shot” shall be awarded. If the puck is outside the Goal Crease and gathered into the body of a Player (other than the Goalkeeper) who is inside the Goal Crease, a Minor Penalty shall be assessed.
→ Rule 67 – Handling Puck

In the event the Goal Post is displaced, either “deliberately” or “accidentally”, by a defending Player, prior to the puck crossing the Goal Line between the normal position of the goalposts, the Referee may award a goal.

In order to award a goal in this situation, the Goal Post must have been displaced by the actions of a defending Player, the attacking Player must have “an imminent scoring opportunity” prior to the Goal Post being displaced, and it must be determined that the puck would have entered the Goal between the normal position of the Goal Posts.

If the Goal Post is deliberately displaced by a Goalkeeper during the course of a “break-away,” a goal will be awarded to the non-offending Team.

When the Goal Post has been displaced deliberately by the defending Team when their Goalkeeper has been removed for an extra attacker thereby preventing an impending goal by the attacking Team, the Referee shall award a goal to the attacking Team.
The goal frame is considered to be displaced if either or both goal pegs are no longer in their respective holes in the ice, or the net has come completely off one or both pegs, prior to or as the puck enters the goal.

In the event the Goal Post is displaced accidentally by a defending Player causing a stoppage in play, the ensuing “face-off” shall be conducted at one of the End Zone Face-off Spots in the Defending Zone. The offending Team shall not be permitted to make any Player substitutions prior to the “face-off”.
However, a Team shall be permitted to make a Player substitution to replace a Goalkeeper who had been substituted for an extra attacker, to replace an injured Player, or when a penalty has been assessed which affects the “on-ice strength” of either Team.

In the event the puck is shot into the End Zone by the attacking Team from their own side of the Center Line, and the opposing Goalkeeper freezes the puck resulting in a stoppage of play, the ensuing “face-off” shall be conducted at one of the End Zone Face-off Spots in the Goalkeeper’s Defending Zone.
The defending Team shall not be permitted to make any player substitutions prior to the “face-off”.
However, a Team shall be permitted to make a Player substitution to replace an injured Player, or when a penalty has been assessed which affects the “on-ice strength” of either Team.

In addition, for both situations outlined in this section, for the ensuing “face-off” in the Defending Zone, the attacking Team will have the choice of which End Zone Face-off Spot the “face-off” will take place.