Delay of game

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The Delay of Game penalty is called when a team start to deliberately stall the game (for example, deliberately shooting the puck out of play, holding the puck in the hand, refusing to send players out for a faceoff, or even repeated deliberate offsides). As part of the rule changes following the 2004-05 NHL lockout, NHL officials also call an automatic delay of game penalty to goaltenders that go into the corners behind the goal line (outside a trapezoid-shaped area) to play the puck. Another delay of game penalty is called when the puck is shot out of the rink. Some delay of game offenses, such as taking too long to send players to take a faceoff, are not punished with a penalty: instead, the official may choose to eject the center of the offending team and order him replaced with another player already on the ice.

[edit] Controversies

Many sports radio shows discuss the puck out of the rink penalty. They say that sort of penalty might decide the Stanley Cup playoffs. Their point is that the penalty is two minutes long, but more flagrant fouls such as Goaltender Interference also cost two minutes.