thehockeybook.com - Referee Signals - A to Z Guide to Hockey Terms

	REFEREE SIGNALS

Referee Signals - A to Z Guide to Hockey Terms
Here's what to look for after the referee blows his whistle:

The Sin Bin, The Cooler, The Box, The Gate - Call it what you will but almost every player will spend at least a few minutes in the Penalty Box - some more than others. Often players will give the "what, me?" look to the refs before they go, but like a bad child sent to their room, they must go and "serve their time."

Penalty Box Trivia:
In the early days of hockey, players had to share the same penalty box. Can you imagine what it would be like if they did that today?

Remember, referees are the guys with the orange bands on their arms, linesmen are the ones with no bands. Referees call penalties, linesman monitor icing and offsides and help break up fights.

Penalties at a Glance:

Bench Minor

Boarding

Butt Ending

Charging

Cross Checking

Delay of Game

Diving

Double Minor

Elbowing

Falling on the Puck

Fighting

Game Misconduct

Goaltender Interference

High Sticking

Holding

Hooking

Instigator

Interference

Kneeing

Major Penalty

Match Penalty

Minor Penalty

Misconduct

Obstruction

Playing with a Broken Stick

Roughing

Slashing

Spearing

Suspension

Third Man In

Too Many Men

Tripping

Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Boarding
Hitting a player so that they are smashed into the boards.

Charging
When a player takes three strides or leaves his feet to throw a bodycheck into an opposing player.

Cross-Checking
To hold your stick with both hands across your chest and push out, striking another player with the shaft of your stick.

Delayed Penalty
When a referee signals a penalty, he holds his arm up. Play is not stopped until the offending team touches the puck or a goal is scored by the non-offending team. If such a goal is scored, the delayed penalty is nullified.

Elbowing
When a player jabs or throws their elbow into another player's body or head, if seen by a referee or linesman will result in a two minute penalty.

High Sticking
When a player raises his stick above his or her shoulders and contacts the puck or another player. Note: If a player's face is cut and blood is visible because of a high stick infraction, the guilty player gets an extra two minutes in the penalty box, or a double minor.

Holding
When a player grabs onto another player and doesn't let go for three seconds, or impedes their movement.

Hooking
When a player holds another player with their stick, impeding their movement. It is one of the most common penalties currently called in the NHL.

Interference
Impeding the movement of an opposing player who does not have possession of the puck.

Kneeing
To hit another player using your knee. This is a very dangerous penalty that you do not see occur very often.

Misconduct
A serious penalty in which a player is ejected from the game for 5 or 10 minutes or for the rest of the game. More serious infractions may warrant giving a player a one or more game suspension.

Roughing
Manhandling, pushing, punching, shoving or getting into an altercation with another player.

Slashing
If a player intentionally swings his stick at another player and makes contact, he will receive a minor penalty.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct
A player might get a two-minute penalty if they: 1) Argue or challenge a referee's decision or penalty call; 2) Deliberately throw any piece of equipment outside of the playing surface or knock the puck out of the way of an official retreiving it; 3) Use profane or abusive language towards any player or referee.

Special thanks to Connor Sookarow for being our "super" model.
(2 minutes for looking so good!)

All photos by Tim Moshansky, First Wave Publishing. Copyright 2010.