Rule 625. Leaving the Player's Bench or Penalty Bench

1. No player may leave the players' bench or penalty bench at any time during an altercation or for the purpose of starting an altercation. Substitutions made prior to the altercation shall not be penalized under this rule provided the players so substituting do not enter the altercation.

2. For violation of this rule, a major plus a game misconduct penalty ( For Juniors only - up to a maximum of five per team) shall be imposed on any player who leaves the players' bench or penalty bench during an altercation.

   For Juniors only - In addition, any team whose players leave the players' bench or penalty bench during an altercation may be subject to a fine not to exceed One Thousand Dollars ($1000) per occurrence per team and may also be subject to a fine of up to Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250) per player involved (up to a maximum of five per team).

   For Juniors only - Any player who incurs a second penalty under this subsection in the same season shall be suspended automatically for the next two games of his team. For each subsequent violation in the same season, the automatic suspension shall be increased by one game. In Play-Off games, any player who incurs a penalty under this subsection shall be suspended automatically for the next Play-Off game of his team. For each subsequent violation, this automatic suspension shall be increased by one game. The automatic suspensions incurred under this subsection in respect to regular season games shall have no effect with respect to violations during Play-Off games.

3. Except at the end of each period, or on expiration of a penalty, no player may at any time leave the penalty bench.

4. A penalized player who leaves the penalty bench before his penalty has expired, whether play is in progress or not, shall incur an additional minor penalty after serving his unexpired penalty.

5. If a player leaves the penalty bench before his penalty is fully served, the Penalty Timekeeper shall note the time and verbally alert the Referee who will stop play when the offending player's team has or gains possession and control of the puck.

6. In the case of a player returning to the ice before his time has expired through an error of the Penalty Timekeeper, he is not to serve an additional penalty, but must serve his unexpired time.

7. If a player of an attacking team in possession of the puck shall be in such a position as to have no opposition between him and the opposing goalkeeper, and while in such a position he shall be interfered with by a player of the opposing team who shall have illegally entered the game, the Referee shall impose a penalty shot/optional minor against the offending player's team.

8. If a Team Official gets on the ice after the start of a period and before that period is ended without the permission of the Referee, the Referee shall impose a bench minor penalty against the team or a game misconduct penalty on the individual or both and report the incident to the Proper Authorities.

9. If a penalized player returns to the ice from the penalty bench before his penalty has expired by his own error or the error of the Penalty Timekeeper, any goal scored by his own team while he is illegally on the ice shall be disallowed, but all penalties imposed on either team shall be served as regular penalties.

10. If a player shall illegally enter the game from his own players' bench or from the penalty bench, any goal scored by his own team while he is illegally on the ice shall be disallowed, but all penalties imposed against either team shall be served as regular penalties.

11. (For Youth and all Girls/Women games)

    On any face-off, if a team starts play with fewer players than entitled to, any subsequently entering player shall not be eligible to play any puck coming from his own Defending Zone until he has returned to his own Defending Zone or until possession and control of the puck has been gained by another player in the Neutral Zone or in his own Attacking Zone.

    For a violation of this rule play shall be stopped and a face-off shall be conducted at the point where the puck was last legally played.