Roller Hockey - Penalties
In case of roller hockey, a penalty is defined as the punishment for the infringement of rules. Usually penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player in a penalty box for a specific period during which, he won’t be able to play in the game. Penalties are enforced by referees and in some cases by linesmen.
Once a player is in the penalty box, the offending team can’t substitute the penalized player during that duration and team is shorthanded as compared to their opponent team whereas the opponent team is said to be on power play having one more player than the shorthanded team. Once the penalty duration expires, the penalized player is again allowed to play.
When there is no player between the attacker and the goalpost except goalie, it is known as breakaway. In this case if the attacker is illegally obstructed, then the attacking team gets the penalty shot where only the goalie of the defending team is there to prevent the goal.
Based on the severity of the infringement of the player, different types of penalties are there which are as follows.
Minor Penalty
When the players act in a dangerous and unfair way during the game, this kind of penalty is imposed. The penalized player has to go to the penalty box for 2 minutes in case of a minor penalty. Minor penalties are enforced when
The opponent players is intentionally hit using shoulder or hip to knock them off the puck.
The opponent player is knocked to the ground using either stick or any part of leg.
The body of the opponent player is contacted above the shoulder with the stick.
The stick is swung against the opponent player’s stick and causing it to break.
The movement of the opponent player is interrupted by grabbing either their equipment or their body.
In case of deliberately delaying the game, elbowing, cross checking also, a player is subjected to a minor penalty.
If the player tries to get the attention of the referee while exaggerating the action of the opposition player in order to draw a penalty, he gets enforced with a minor penalty. Sometimes players are also subjected to double minor penalties where two consecutive minor penalties are enforced on the player.
Major Penalty
In case of severe actions of the players, major penalties are enforced. Mostly, in severe cases of minor penalty instances, major penalties are enforced. Usually when players act recklessly or intentionally injure opponent players, major penalties are enforced. In case of major penalty, players have to go to the penalty box for five minutes. In case of severe offence, the player can also be suspended from the game.
Major penalties are enforced in following cases −
Punching the opponent player while glove removed.
Stabbing the opponent player using the blade of the stick.
Pushing the opponent player into the boards while he is facing it without touching it.
Players who engage in fights with opponent players or act violently are also enforced with major penalties.
Misconduct Penalty
Earning three major penalties in a match results in receiving a misconduct penalty. Players responsible for game misconducts are enforced with misconduct penalties. Here the offence player is evicted from the match for 10 minutes. But during that duration any other substitute player can take the evicted player’s place in the game.
Delayed Penalty
If a third player of a team is enforced with penalty while the other two players are still facing penalty, he has to wait till the penalty of the first two players is ended. However, he can’t play till then and has to wait at the penalty box while a substitute player can take his place.
