The visiting team cannot come on the ice before their time (37:50 and 
6:50 for pre-game, 0:50 for other periods).   (The home team may come on 
the ice 10 seconds before those times).  

The official name for the penalty is "Bench minor for noncompliance", 
but the rule book also refers to it as a "Protocol violation" or a 
"Violation of Game Protocol" and the latter  terms are what you will 
usually hear and see.

The rule is written that way to allow the home team to come on the ice 
first, but not be an annoyance to the visiting team when the home team 
decides to delay.

cheers, wayne

james acheson wrote, in part,  on 11/14/2005 5:04 PM:
>
> also, Maine started the game short handed... did you ever wonder why 
> the home team goes onto the ice before the away team?  well, I am not 
> sure what the rule is, but if the away team steps on the ice first, 
> then they get a bench minor for the protocol violation.
>
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