Rule 55. Delay of Game

(a) A Bench Minor penalty shall be assessed a team which, in the opinion of the Referee, is deliberately delaying the game in any manner. A Minor penalty shall be assessed to any goaltender who shoots or bats the ball out of the playing surface with their stick.

Note 1: When the goaltender shoots the ball directly out of the playing surface where there is no glass, such as at the players’ bench or penalty bench, or if the ball touches the glass or deflects off a player or official, no penalty shall be assessed.
Note 2: This penalty will also be assessed to any player or goaltender who shoots the ball out of the playing surface with their stick during a stoppage of play. Note 3: Referees must be strict in enforcing the rules where a team is deliberately stalling, freezing the ball, shooting the ball out of the playing surface, the goaltender holding the ball or throwing it out of the playing surface, or the team committing a “SERIES of FLOORING”, thereby forcing a face-off.

(b) Any player who leaves their players’ bench to deliver instructions to their teammates and does not remain on the floor as a substitute, will be assessed a Minor penalty.

(c) Any deliberate action by a defending player, including the goaltender, in their defending zone which results in the goal net being knocked from its position, shall constitute an act of deliberate delay of game. If this action occurs in the last two minutes of regular playing time, or any time in overtime, a Penalty Shot shall be awarded against the offending team and the Minor penalty shall not be served.

(d) A Penalty Shot shall be awarded should the goaltender, by deliberate action, dislodge the goal net from its position when a player is on a breakaway in the neutral zone or attacking zone.

(e) If in the last two minutes of regular playing time, or anytime in overtime, a team is penalized for any of the following infractions, a Penalty Shot shall be awarded against the offending team: Deliberate Illegal Substitution – Rule 19 (f), Protective Equipment – Rule 24 (c), Deliberately Knocking the Goal Net from its Position – Rule 55 (c), Refusing to Start Play – Rule 78 (e).

Note: In overtime, a Penalty Shot shall be assessed under this rule, except in the case of Rule 78 (a) – Refusing to Start Play, in which case a Penalty Shot and a Major Penalty shall be assessed.

(f) A Bench Minor penalty shall be imposed upon any team which, after a warning by the Referee, fails to place the correct number of players on the floor and commence play. 

SITUATION 1 Rule 55 (c)
When a goal has been displaced intentionally or otherwise, the Referee will use the following criteria to determine when play should stop:
(a) If the ball is in the same end zone where the goal has been displaced, stop play immediately. If the goal has been displaced intentionally, then assess the appropriate penalty.
(b) If the goal is displaced by a player whose team is in control of the ball, call the play at once.
(c) If a team has control of the ball in the neutral zone and is moving up the floor and a player on the opposing team in their attacking zone displaces the goal, let play continue until the scoring play by the non-offending team has been completed. If the team in control of the ball moves the ball back into their own zone, with their goal displaced, then call the play at once.
Note: In this case a goal may be scored at one end of the floor, even though the net at the opposite end has been displaced.

SITUATION 2
When the defending player intentionally knocks the goal off its mooring, a Minor penalty for Delay of Game shall be assessed or a Penalty Shot awarded. A defending player is defined as a player in their defending zone, regardless of which team is in control of the ball. When an attacking player intentionally knocks the goal off iits mooring, a Minor penalty for Delay of Game shall be assessed under Rule 55 (a). An attacking player is defined as a player in their attacking zone, regardless of which team is in control of the ball.

SITUATION 3 Rule 55 (e)
Where reference is made in the rules to the “last two minutes of regular playing time”, this time starts at the 2:00 time mark for the purpose of awarding a Penalty Shot.

SITUATION 4 Rule 55 (c)
In cases where devices are used to hold the goals in place, officials are advised to watch closely when players and goaltenders are delaying the game by knocking the goals off their mooring(s). When this action is intentional, penalize it accordingly.

SITUATION 5 Rule 55 (c)
QUESTION: The goaltender is on their way to the players’ bench to be substituted by another player, intentionally knocks the net off its moorings as they leave the goal crease. The Referee has observed the situation. What should the call be?
ANSWER: In this situation the Referee should penalize the goaltender, by assessing a Minor penalty. If such action occurs in the last two minutes of regular playing time, or at anytime in overtime, a Penalty Shot shall be awarded against the offending team.

SITUATION 6 Rule 55 (a) Note 1
QUESTION: What do you do in a rink where there is glass at one end of the rink but not at the other?
ANSWER: In order for Rule 55 (a) to apply, both ends of the rink must be similar. If there is glass at one end only, then the rule would not apply.

SITUATION 7 Rule 55 (a) Note 1
QUESTION: Can you apply the guideline for the goal tender shooting or batting the ball out of the rink if the rink only has glass on one side of the floor?
ANSWER: Yes.
RATIONALE: As long as both ends of the rink are similar, then it would be the same for both teams and so you could apply the rule. A lot of rinks have glass only on one side of the floor because they only allow spectators on one side.
Note: The Minor penalty for Delay of Game can still be applied even when there is no glass if the action was flagrant or deliberate in accordance with the normal interpretation of Rule 55 (a).