What Is An Embellishment Penalty In Hockey?

A penalty shot is caused by a committed foul by the offending team. The penalty is also given to the opponent who substitutes illegally or picks up the puck with a hand in the goal crease.

The penalty shot is given to the victim team to restore the lost chance of scoring. The referee first announces over the Public Address System which player is entitled to take the shot. He then places the puck in the center of the face-off spot to resume the play.

Here is a summary of penalty shots taken in different events during the game:

• Deliberate illegal substitution.
• Intentionally dislodging the net from its moorings during a breakaway.
• Intentionally dislodging the net from its moorings when the penalty can not be served in its entirety within regulation time.
• Falling on the puck in the goal crease.
• Picking up the puck with the hand in the goal crease.
• Player on a breakaway who is interfered with by an object thrown or shot by a defending team player
• Player on a breakaway who is interfered with by a player who has illegally entered the game.
• The player throws or shoots an object at the puck in his defending zone. 
• Player on a breakaway who is fouled from behind.

Deliberate illegal substitution

Illegal substitution happens when a player enters the game illegally from either the form player's bench or penalty bench or when a player enters the game with the sole purpose of preventing to score on a breakaway.

Breakaway is a position in which there is no opposition between the attacking player and the defending goalie.

During such a position, if the attacking player is interfered with by an illegal substitution, a penalty shot is immediately called to penalize the substituting team.

Falling on the puck in the goal crease

Except for the goalkeeper, no one is permitted to fall on the puck, hold it, pick it up, or gather it into the body when it is in the goal crease.

If such an incident is noticed, the play is immediately stopped, and a penalty shot is ordered against the team committing the offense.

Embellishment means the sufferer provides a sense of foul more seriously than it was. The player acts in such a manner to cause a penalty for the opponent.

Usually, the embellishment is given with another penalty call. If the victim exaggerates to call a penalty, the embellisher and the player who appeared to commit a foul are penalized.

Embellishment, referred to as diving most of the time, is the action of a player who tries to draw a penalty against an opponent without occurring foul.

Sometimes, the player gets to benefit from embellishment. However, NHL observes every game and can fine for it even after the fact.

Players receive a minor penalty when they are called for embellishment in the NHL. The player may be kept in the penalty box for two minutes initiating the power play for the opponent.

Most of the time, both the player, who embellished and who committed foul, get minors together.

Major penalty in hockey is a higher degree penalty. This penalty is given to the player who committed acute infractions in the rules.

Some exceptions that always draw a Major such as fighting. For instance, the aggressor of an altercation is given the penalty along with other misconducts.

The player with a Major penalty will stay out of the ice for five minutes of the play. The event results in a power play for the opponent.

But, if players from both teams are subject to Major penalties, they may be substituted, which won't reduce the player on the ice. However, the penalized players will stay in the penalty box until the first stoppage of the play after the end of the penalty duration. 

The penalty cannot end before the duration except in the sudden-victory overtime game, which ends both the game and the punishment.

As the Major-penalty can hamper the game of any team, it is very crucial to have a confirmation of the infraction. Since the 2019-20 season, NHL referees are using video reviews to confirm or demote the call to a Minor penalty.

Clipping penalty in hockey is assessed for checking the opponent by hitting in the areas of his knees. Clipping can incur Minor Penalties, Major Penalties, and other types.

It is the act of tossing the body across or below the knees of an opponent while checking. It is considered illegal to check in a clipping manner or lower his body position below the opponent's knees to deliver a check.

Performing such an act incurs in following penalties in National Hockey League (NHL):

• The player will be assessed a minor penalty for clipping.
• A Major Penalty is assessed if an injury occurs by clipping.
• If the referee observes a deliberate clipping check, the player can be assessed with a match penalty.
• A game misconduct penalty is assessed anytime a major penalty is applied.

Boarding Penalty is called when an attacking player trips, pushes or checks an opposing player vigorously into the walls of the rink.

It often incurs a Major penalty as there is a high chance of injury sustained by the player; who was boarded. It is immediately imposed on any player causing a defenseless opponent to impact the boards dangerously. 

The officials can call game misconduct or match penalty on the offending player if such an event occurs. 

The extremity of the penalty is at the discretion of the referee. Based on the degree of impact on the board, the referee can call the following on the offender:

• The referee might impose a Minor penalty on the attacker if it is seen as unintentional and not dangerous.
• The referee can impose a Major Penalty if the impact is forceful and the cause of the injury.
• A Match Penalty is given to the offender if the player strove to injure his opponent intentionally by boarding.
• If a Major Penalty is imposed on the foul resulting in head or face injury, game misconduct is inflicted in addition to the penalty.
• Fines and suspension might be added at the discretion of the Commissioner.

A 4 minute penalty is a double-minor penalty combined into one. A minor penalty is a two-minute penalty box time for an offender.

After a double-minor is called, the team committing the penalty will be short of one player. The player will be inside the penalty box for four minutes resulting in the power play.

During the power play, if the victim team scores a goal, one of the minor penalties will be removed, meaning the offender will remain in the box for a minor penalty.

Regarding this penalty rule, if two other players on the team are on penalties, the double-minor penalty waits for at least one of the previous penalties to have expired because the team cannot have less than three skaters on the ice. 

After the penalty clock is over, the teams will be at their full strength.

A 4-minute minor penalty rule is applied under the following fouls:

• Butt-ending
• Headbutting
• High-sticking; if blood is drawn
• Spearing

5 minute major penalty in hockey is assessed for severe violation of the rules. The player with this penalty will be removed from the game to be in the penalty box for five minutes.

The other team will be on the power play during this period, no matter whether they score or not. The Major penalty ends only with the game.

The Major penalties are generally upgraded from the minors where the offender's intent to hurt the opposing team is seen clearly. A Major penalty for fighting is directly imposed without a Minor penalty.

Major penalties can be applied for the following fouls; the list can include any Minor-penalty with a clear intent to injure the opponent.

• Butt-ending
• Checking from behind
• Instigating 
• Fighting
• holding the facemask
• Participating in other's fight
• Spearing 

Kneeing penalty is imposed on the player who contacts the opponent by extending his leg outwards leading with the knee.

Kneeing penalty can incur both Minor and Major penalties considering the offender's intent at the referee's discretion.

Other penalties that might be imposed on the offenders in addition to the Major penalty are:

• Match penalty 
• Game Misconduct penalty

Delayed penalty is a penalty that is called but not instantly applied. The play is not stopped for the penalty if the non-offending team handles the puck.

The penalty is delayed if the third player is penalized after two other players who are still serving the penalties. The penalty clock of the third won't commence until at least one of the previous penalties are not over.

But as soon as the penalty clock of the third starts, the player should go to the penalty area at once. 

The penalty is delayed to maintain the strength of a team with at least three skaters on the ice.

Charging Penalty occurs when a player travels an excessive distance to check the puck handler. The distance of travel can be more than two strides.

Charging is illegal body checking to regain the puck's possession. Although the players are allowed to check except in youth hockey, one violating the rules of giving a check is deemed illegal.

Charging is considered illegal due to the high risk of injury in a collision because of the accelerating player. A minor or major penalty is called on a player who charges or jumps into an opponent. 

Charging penalties include Minor, Major, match, and game misconduct added to the Major at the discretion of the officials.

Spearing in hockey is poking or stabbing with the tip of the stick blade. Spearing an opponent can inflict a major penalty and game misconduct.

Spearing is used by players to try to slow down or stop the player's movement. While it is illegal to poke, jab, or stab an opponent, just attempting to perform these actions is also allegedly forbidden.

The referee alerts the off-ice officials by jabbingly using both hands to call the spearing.

Spearing falls under the category of stick fouls in the NHL rule book which inflicts a double-minor penalty on a player just attempting to jab or poke their opponent.

A Major penalty is imposed if the stick makes contact with the defender and the game misconduct penalty. A Match penalty is called if the victim is injured due to the spear.

High sticking is the illegal lifting of the stick above the typical height. High sticking is claimed when a player carries the lever above the opponent's shoulder and makes contact.

A player may, however, make unintentional touch with an opponent if the incident occurs during the usual wind-up or follow-through of a shot; or hunched over the opposing center during the face-off.

Any contact with an opponent over the height of the shoulders will result in a penalty since a wild swing at a bouncing puck would not be considered a typical wind-up or follow-through. In short, the players are not allowed the puck higher than the shoulder height with a stick.