playing rules – leaving the players’ or Penalty bench

Rule 70. Leaving the Players’ or Penalty Bench

(a) No player may leave the players’ bench or penalty bench at any time during a fight on the floor, or for the purpose of starting a fight. Substitutions made prior to the fight shall be permitted, provided the players so substituting do not enter the fight.

(b) For a violation of Rule 70 (a), a double Minor penalty shall be imposed on the player of the team who was the first to leave the players’ or penalty bench during a fight. If players of both teams leave their respective benches at the same time, the first identifiable player of each team to do so, shall incur a double Minor penalty. A Game Misconduct penalty shall also be imposed on any player penalized under this section, plus any other penalties he may incur. Refer to Section (d).

(c) Any player (other than those dealt with under Section (b)) who leaves his players’ or penalty bench during a fight and is assessed a Minor, Major or Misconduct penalty for his actions, shall also incur an automatic Game Misconduct penalty, in addition to any other penalties he may incur. This includes a player leaving the penalty bench, for which he is to be assessed a Minor penalty in addition to the Game Misconduct penalty. Such player would not have to be the first player to leave a bench.

Note 1: A maximum of 5 players per team may be assessed Game Misconducts for violations of Sections (b) and (c) of this rule during a stoppage of play. The maximum of 5 players shall include any players penalized under Rule 59 – Fighting and Roughing.
Note 2: Where one team has been clearly identified as the first to leave the bench and the Referee has assessed the 5 player maximum Game Misconducts, then in this situation a sixth player on one team may be assessed a Game Misconduct penalty under this section. This sixth player must be the player who left the bench first.
Note 3: Referees must record in detail on the Official Game Report or separate Penalty Report Form, any bench clearing incidents.

(d) A penalized player may not leave the penalty bench (whether or not play is in progress), except at the end of the period or on the expiration of his penalty. A Minor Penalty shall be assessed any player that leaves the penalty bench or returns to the surface before the expiration of this penalty. However, in the case of a player returning to the surface prematurely due to an error by the Penalty Timekeeper, no penalty shall be assessed and the player must only serve the time remaining in his penalty at the moment he returned to the surface.

(e) When a player on a breakaway in the neutral or attacking zone is interfered with by a player of the opposing team who shall have illegally entered the game, or by a player or team official on the players’ or penalty bench, the Referee shall award a Penalty Shot to the non-offending team.

(f) Any team official who goes on the floor after the start of the game, without the permission of the Referee, shall be assessed, at the discretion of the Referee, a Bench Minor or a Game Misconduct penalty. If a Game Misconduct penalty is assessed, the team official shall be ordered to the dressing room for the remainder of the game and the Referee shall submit a report in full detail to the President, who may assess further penalties.

(g) If a penalized player returns to the floor from the penalty bench before his penalty has expired, (either by his own error or the error of the Penalty Timekeeper), any goal scored by his own team while he is illegally on the floor shall not be allowed. All penalties assessed either team shall be served as regular penalties.

(h) If a player shall illegally enter the game from his own players’ bench, any goal scored by his own team while he is illegally on the floor shall not be allowed. All penalties assessed either team shall be served as regular penalties.