Hockey Penalty Signals: What They Mean

Get to know the different Hockey Penalty signals and what they mean so you can follow the game better.

Introduction

A minor hockey penalty results in a player spending two minutes in the Penalty Box More serious offences can result in five or ten minute penalties, or even a game misconduct which means the player is ejected from the game and can’t return.

There are four basic signals officials use to indicate what kind of penalty has been assessed.

The arm signal for a minor hockey penalty is fairly straightforward — the official just raises one arm straight up in the air to indicate two minutes in the box. For a major or misconduct penalty, he’ll raise both arms above his head and wave them around a bit for emphasis.

The hand signal for a minor hockey penalty is also pretty simple — the official just holds up one finger to indicate two minutes. For majors and misconducts, he’ll hold up both hands with all fingers extended and wave them around vigorously.

The stick signal for a minor hockey penalty is done by holding the stick horizontally in front of the body with one hand at each end and then bringing the hands together so the sticks touch at the middle. For majors and misconducts, the official will bring the sticks together above his head and then pound them on the ice for emphasis.

Finally, there’s the verbal signal which is simply “minor,” “major,” or “misconduct.”

The Different Types of Hockey Penalties

There are six different types of hockey penalties: minor, major, bench, misconduct, game misconduct, and match. Each type of penalty comes with its own set of consequences for the offending player.

-A minor penalty results in a two-minute stay in the Penalty Box for the offending player. Minor penalties are typically called for things like tripping, roughing, elbowing, and High Sticking
-A major penalty results in a five-minute stay in the penalty box for the offending player. Major penalties are typically called for things like fighting and deliberate attempts to injure another player.
-A bench minor is a minor penalty that is assessed to a team rather than an individual player. Bench minors are typically called for things like too many men on the ice or unsportsmanlike conduct by a team’s bench personnel.
-A misconduct penalty results in a ten-minute stay in the penalty box for the offending player. Misconduct penalties are typically called for things like taunting or using obscene language on the ice.
-A game misconduct penalty results in an automatic ejection from the game for the offending player. Game misconduct penalties are typically called for things like fighting or deliberate attempts to injure another player.
-A match penalty results in an automatic ejection from the game for the offending player and a five-minute Power play for the opposing team Match penalties are typically called for things like deliberate attempts to injure another player or using racial slurs on the ice.

The Various Signals for Hockey Penalties

In hockey, there are various hand signals that the referee uses to indicate what kind of penalty has been committed. It is important to know what these signals mean so that you can understand the game better. Here are some of the most common signals

Two-handed overhead slash: This signal is used to indicate a slashing penalty.

One-handed cross-check: This signal is used to indicate a cross-checking penalty.

One-handed holding: This signal is used to indicate a holding penalty.

One-handed hooking: This signal is used to indicate a hooking penalty.

Two-handed High stick This signal is used to indicate a high sticking penalty.

The Importance of Knowing the Signals

In hockey, there are a number of different penalty signals that officials use to communicate to players, coaches, and fans what has happened on the ice. While it is not necessary for everyone to know all of the signals, it is important to be familiar with the most common ones. Here is a quick guide to some of the most common hockey penalty signals.

One arm raised above the head: This signal indicates a minor penalty.

Two arms raised above the head: This signal indicates a major penalty.

One arm raised with the other bent at the elbow and held close to the body: This signal indicates a misconduct penalty.

One arm held out from the body at an angle with the hand open: This signal indicates a bench minor penalty.

One arm held out from the body at an angle with the fist closed: This signal indicates a game misconduct penalty.

How to Use the Signals to Your Advantage

In hockey, there are a variety of penalty signals that officials use to communicate infractions to the players. As a player, it’s important to know what these signals mean so that you can use them to your advantage.

Here are some of the most common hockey penalty signals:

slashing – When a player swings his or her stick at an opponent in a dangerous or aggressive manner. This is usually a minor penalty, but can be upgraded to a major if the player causes injury.

hooking – When a player uses his or her stick to impede the progress of an opponent by hooking them with the blade. This is usually a minor penalty.

tripping – When a player uses his or her stick or any other part of their body to trip an opponent. This is usually a minor penalty, but can be upgraded to a major if the player causes injury.

boarding – When a player checks an opponent into the boards from behind in a dangerous manner. This is always a major penalty.
high-sticking – When a player raises his or her stick above shoulder level and makes contact with an opponent. This is usually a double-minor penalty, but can be upgraded to a major if the player causes injury.

The Different Ways to Signal a Penalty

A referee signals a hockey penalty by holding one arm straight up in the air and pointing with the other arm in the direction of the offending team’s net. The referee will also announce the infraction to notify players, officials, and spectators of the reason for the stoppage in play.

There are several different ways that a referee can signal a penalty, depending on the specific infraction that has been committed. The most common signals are as follows:

Hooking: The referee will hold one arm straight up in the air and make a “c” shape with the other hand.
High-sticking: The referee will hold one arm straight up in the air and point with the other hand to the offending player’s stick.
Interference: The referee will hold one arm straight up in the air and point with the other hand toward the offending player’s body.
Roughing: The referee will hold both arms straight out to his or her sides at shoulder level.
Tripping: The referee will extend one leg out in front of him- or herself and use the other leg to sweep backward at ankle level.

The pros and cons of Signaling a Penalty

There are many different interpretations of what hockey signals mean, and there is no one right answer. Some people believe that signaling a penalty is a way to indicate to the other team that they are violating the rules and should be punished, while others believe that it is a way to show sportsmanship and fair play.

Some penalized teams will immediately agree with the refs and take their punishment, while others will argue and try to get out of it. Either way, it is up to the refs to decide what the proper punishment should be.

Here are some of the most common signals for hockey penalties:

2 minutes: This signal is used for minor penalties such as tripping, holding, interference, High sticking elbowing, and unsportsmanlike conduct.

5 minutes: This signal is used for major penalties such as fighting, hitting from behind, deliberately injuring another player, and using racial or sexist slurs.

10 minutes: This signal is used for misconduct penalties such as taunting or excessive arguing with the refs.

Game misconduct: This signal is used for serious offenses such as brutally hitting another player or attempting to injure them with your stick or skates.

The Bottom Line on Hockey Penalty Signals

Hockey is a fast-paced sport with a lot of action. Players are constantly moving on the ice, and the puck is frequently flying around. With all of this movement, it can be easy to lose track of what’s going on. One way to stay up to speed with the action is to understand the penalty signals the referee uses.

There are four basic penalty signals in hockey:

-The first signal is for a minor penalty. The player will raise one arm above their head and bend it at the elbow so that their hand is pointing downwards.
-The second signal is for a major penalty. The player will raise both arms above their head and cross them at the wrists.
-The third signal is for a misconduct penalty. The player will raise one arm above their head and extend it out to the side so that their hand is pointing horizontally.
-The fourth signal is for a game misconduct penalty. The player will raise both arms above their head and extend them out to the side so that their hands are pointing horizontally.

Knowing these signals can help you keep track of the penalties being called during a game and better understand what’s happening on the ice.

Additional Resources

While you now have a good understanding of the basic penalty signals in hockey, there are a few additional signals used in specific situations. To get a full understanding of all the signals used in hockey, check out the resources below.

Questions and Answers

1. What is the purpose of penalty signals in hockey?

Penalty signals are used by officials to communicate infractions and penalties to players, coaches, and fans during a hockey game 2. How many different penalty signals are there in hockey?

There are nine different penalty signals in hockey, each one corresponding to a specific infraction. 3. What do the different penalty signals mean?

The following table outlines the meaning of each penalty signal:

| Meaning
——————--|———--
Minor penalty | A minor penalty results in a two-minute stay in the penalty box for the offending player.
Major penalty | A major penalty results in a five-minute stay in the penalty box for the offending player.
Misconduct | A misconduct results in a ten-minute stay in the penalty box for the offending player.
Game misconduct | A game misconduct results in an ejection from the game for the offending player.
penalty shot | A penalty shot is awarded when a clear scoring opportunity is denied by an infraction.
Bench minor | A bench minor is assessed when a team commits a minor infraction while off of the ice.
Too many men | A too-many-men infraction is called when a team has more than six players on the ice.
Fighting | Fighting results in an automatic ejection from the game for both players involved.