A goal during a delayed penalty
Rule numbers: NCAA 15.1 NCAA 15.2 NCAA 15.3
When a minor is signaled against the team without the puck and the other team scores before the whistle, the minor is not imposed; major penalties are imposed as normal, goal or no goal. If two or more minors were to be imposed, the offending team's captain tells the referee which one is washed out by the goal. The tricky case is a team already short-handed by a minor or bench minor: if a further minor is signaled and the other side scores before the whistle, the goal counts, the signaled penalty is assessed, and the first minor already being served ends. If the team was short only because of a major, the signaled minor is simply not imposed. A deflection off a penalized-team player cannot produce a goal for that team.
major penalties shall be imposed in the normal manner regardless of whether or not a goal is scored.
- On the ice
- Even strength: goal counts and no one sits for the signaled minor.
- Clock
- Already short by a minor: post the new minor and remove the first minor being served.
- Scoresheet
- Even strength: the washed-out minor is not imposed.
Example
Team B is killing a hooking minor. A second minor is signaled on Team B and Team A scores before Team B touches the puck. The goal counts, the hooking minor ends and the new minor goes up, so Team A stays on the power play.
Common mistake: Washing out the new minor when the team was already short by a minor; in that case the old minor ends.
Sources
- NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Rule 15.1-15.2, p. 34 (PDF p. 37)
- NCAA 2026-27 and 2027-28 Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules and Interpretations (IH28), Rule 15.2-15.3, p. 35 (PDF p. 38)
Verified