Rule 629 | Leaving the Players’ Bench or Penalty Bench
(a) A major plus a game misconduct penalty shall be assessed toany player who leaves the players’ bench or the penaltybench during an altercation or for the purpose of starting analtercation. These penalties are in addition to any otherpenalties that may be assessed during the incident.
Substitutions made prior to the altercation shall not bepenalized under this rule provided the players so substitutingdo not enter the altercation.
For purpose of this rule, an altercation is considered to be concluded when the referee enters the referee's crease or, in the absence of penalties, signals a face-off location.
(b) No penalized player may leave the penalty bench except onthe expiration of his penalty or at the end of a period.
A minor penalty shall be assessed to any player wholeaves the penalty bench before his penalty has expired,unless it resulted from an error by the Penalty Timekeeper.In all situations, the player shall serve the remaining penaltytime. If a Penalty Timekeeper error occurred, no additionalminor penalty assessed.
(Note) In all cases where a penalized player has left thepenalty bench prematurely, whether the result of PenaltyTimekeeper error or not, the Penalty Timekeeper shall notethe time and verbally alert the Referee who shall stop playwhen the offending team gains possession and control of thepuck.
(c) If a player illegally enters the game either from the players’bench or penalty bench (Timekeeper error or not), any goalthat is scored by the offending team while he is illegally onthe ice shall be disallowed. However, all penalties assessed toeither team shall be served in the normal manner.
A penalty shot/optional minor penalty shall be awarded tothe non-offending team anytime a player who is on abreakaway (see Glossary) is interfered with, in any manner,by an opposing player who has illegally entered the game.
(d) A bench minor penalty to the team, or a game misconductpenalty to the team official, or both, shall be assessed whenany Team Official enters the ice surface after the start of theperiod and prior to its end without the permission of theReferee.
(Note) Any incident involving a Team Official entering theice surface without permission during the course of a gameshall be reported to the Proper Authorities for furtherdisciplinary action.
(e) Play shall bestopped and the face-off conducted at the last play face-offlocation anytime a team starts play with fewer players thanentitled to and the additional entering player is the first toplay any puck coming from his defending zone, unless he hasfirst made skate contact with his defending zone.
