1. Should an infraction of the rules which would call for a minor, major, misconduct, game misconduct or match penalty be committed by a player of the side in possession of the puck, the Referee shall immediately blow his whistle and penalize the offending player.

   The resulting face-off shall be made at the place where the play was stopped for the assessment of the penalty, unless the stoppage occurs in the attacking zone of the player penalized in which case the face-off shall be made at the nearest face-off spot in the neutral zone.

2. Should an infraction of the rules which would call for a minor, major, misconduct, game misconduct or match penalty be committed by a player of the Team not in possession of the puck, the Referee will raise his arm to signal the delayed calling of a penalty. When the Team to be penalized gains control of the puck, the Referee will blow his whistle to stop play and impose the penalty on the offending player.

   (NOTE) There shall be no signal given by the Referee for a misconduct or game misconduct penalty under this section.

   The resulting face-off shall be located where the play was stopped when the offending Team gained control of the puck, except when they do so in their attacking zone, to which the ensuing face-off will be conducted in the neutral zone near the defending Team's blue line.

   If the stoppage of play is caused by the defending Team (puck frozen along boards, frozen by goalkeeper, shot out of play) and the attacking Team is to be penalized, the resulting face-off shall be made at the place where the play was stopped. The only exception to this face-off location is if, prior to the stoppage of play for the assessment of the penalty, the non-offending Team ices the puck, then the face-off following the stoppage shall take place in the neutral zone near the defending blue line of the Team shooting the puck.

   If the penalty to be imposed is a minor penalty and a goal is scored on the play by the non-offending side, the minor penalty shall not be imposed but major and match penalties shall be imposed in the normal manner regardless of whether or not a goal is scored.

   Minor penalty expiration criteria:

   1. Is the Team scored against short handed?
   2. Is the Team scored against serving a Minor Penalty on the clock?

   If both criteria are satisfied, the minor penalty with the least amount of time on the clock shall terminate except when coincidental penalties are being served.

   (NEW for 2005-06)(NOTE) No penalty shall expire when a goal is scored against a Team on a penalty shot (Rule 26(c)).

   When the penalty to be imposed is applicable under Rule 46(a) -- Butt-Ending; Rule 60(a) -- Head-Butting; Rule 61(b)(1) -- High Sticks or Rule 86(a) -- Spearing, and a goal is scored, two minutes of the appropriate penalty will be assessed to the offending player. (This will be announced as a double minor for the appropriate foul and the player will serve two (2) minutes only.)

   If when a Team is "short-handed" by reason of one or more minor or bench minor penalties, the Referee signals a further minor penalty or penalties against the "short-handed" Team and a goal is scored by the non-offending side before the whistle is blown, then the goal shall be allowed. The penalty or penalties signaled shall be assessed and the first of the minor penalties already being served shall automatically terminate under Rule 26(c) -- Minor Penalties. Major and match penalties shall be imposed in the normal manner regardless of whether or not a goal is scored.

   (NOTE 1) "Completion of the play by the Team in possession" in this Rule means that the puck must have come into the possession and control of an opposing player or has been "frozen". This does not mean a rebound off the goalkeeper, the goal or the boards, or any accidental contact with the body or equipment of an opposing player. "Control of the puck" means the act of propelling the puck with the stick, hand or feet. If while it is being propelled, the puck is touched by another player or his equipment, or hits the goal or goes free, the player shall no longer be considered to be "in control of the puck".

   (NOTE 2) If after the Referee has signaled a penalty but before the whistle has been blown, the puck shall enter the goal of the non-offending Team as the direct result of a player of that Team, the goal shall be allowed and the penalty signaled shall be imposed in the normal manner. No goal may be scored by the offending team during the delayed calling of a penalty unless the non-offending team puts it directly into their own net. This shall mean that a deflection off an offending player or goalkeeper, or any physical action by an offending player that may cause the puck to enter the non-offending team's goal, shall not be considered a legal goal. Play shall be stopped before the puck enters the net (whenever possible), and the signaled penalty assessed to the offending team.

3. Should the same offending player commit other fouls on the same play, either before or after the Referee has blown his whistle, the offending player shall serve such penalties consecutively.

In addition to the automatic fines and suspensions imposed under these Rules, the Commissioner may, at his discretion, investigate any incident that occurs in connection with any Pre-season, Exhibition, League or Playoff game and may assess additional fines and/or suspensions for any offense committed during the course of a game or any aftermath thereof by a player, Trainer, Manager, Coach or club executive, whether or not such offense has been penalized by the Referee.

(NOTE) If an investigation is requested by a Club or by the League on its own initiative, it must be initiated within twenty-four (24) hours following the completion of the game in which the incident occurred.

Whenever suspensions are imposed as a result of infractions occurring during pre-season and exhibition games, the Commissioner shall exercise his discretion in scheduling the suspensions to ensure that no Team shall be short more players in any regular League game than it would have been had the infractions occurred in regular League games.