I am confused about a penalty situation in Friday's UNH-BC game, and am
hoping the rules mavens on Hockey-L can clarify:
 
In the 3rd period, UNH's Muir and BC's Chase are given matching roughing
penalties.  Muir is also given a 2-minute holding penalty, for a total of
4 minutes for him.  The matching penalties are not put on the board, and
the only penalty posted is the 2 minute holding on Muir.  The extra
penalty is served by Putnam, and play is 5-on-4.  After the 2 minute
power play is up, Putnam comes out of the box, and play is 5-on-5.  Muir
and Chase are still in the penalty box, as they can't come out until a
stoppage in play.  When the next stoppage comes (approximately 0:45 after
the power play is up), Chase leaves the penalty box and returns to the BC
bench, which is okay, as his 2 minutes are long since up.  But Muir also
leaves the penalty box and returns to the UNH bench, even though it is
only about 2:45 into the 4 minutes of penalties he was assessed.
   I was under the impression that Muir was supposed to stay in the box
for the full 4 minutes, even though the power play was up.  Isn't the
intent of penalties to an individual player to remove him from play for
the requisite number of minutes?  Isn't that the whole point in having
another player serve the extra penalty, because Muir can't leave the box
and someone has to return to the ice after the power play is up?
   No one complained, as far as I could tell, the refs didn't say
anything, the penalty timekeeper didn't say anything, so I am assuming
they all agreed that this was the proper course.  Is it?  Help!
---------------                              ----------------------
Rick McAdoo                                  [log in to unmask]
BC will return!                              GO EAGLES!