The rare cases people argue about
Rare situations, and the ones people argue about.
A · Advanced · 11 rules · Step 3 of 4Penalties
Fouls
- Is a check to the head legal in ice hockey?There is no clean check to the head or neck.
- Is fighting allowed in international ice hockey?Fighting is not allowed in international hockey.
- What is a delay-of-game penalty in ice hockey?Deliberately stopping play, such as freezing the puck outside the crease, knocking the net off or firing the puck out of play, is a minor for delay of game.
- What is a too-many-men penalty in ice hockey?An extra player on the ice during a change brings a bench minor.
Officials, injuries and categories
- What happens when an ice hockey player is injured?When a player is hurt, play usually continues until the injured player's team gains the puck.
- How is women's ice hockey different?Women's hockey follows the same rules except that body checks to eliminate an opponent are illegal: players may lean and push only while competing for the puck.
How the NHL differs
- How is an NHL rink different from an Olympic one?An NHL rink is 200 feet long and 85 feet wide, about 61 by 26 metres, so it is narrower than most international rinks.
- Is fighting allowed in the NHL?Fighting is a penalty in the NHL too, but a lighter one.
- Are NHL penalties the same as international ones?Most NHL penalties match the IIHF's, but majors are treated more lightly.
- How does video review work in the NHL?In the NHL, the league's Situation Room checks every goal on video.