GEWillaims raised the issue of bench-penalty box placement on
INFO-Hockey-l.
 
  One distinct advantage of benches on opposite sides of the ice (the
alternative suggestion in the rule book) is that the players are separated
from each other during entry and exit from the arena.  This is especially
useful on exit when players  are occasionally slightly heated from the
recent play.  I have seen a few occasions at Joe Louis Arena (which has
the "preferred" arrangement) where post-game skirmishes have flourished.
This has been further worsened when he "home" team has not been allowed
to use the home ice gate and both teams have had to use the same
"tunnel.  Of course there are arenas where both teams enter/exit
through the same gate at the same end of the arena.
 
  There is a further advantage to the alternative arrangement during
the game (especially the second period) when teams must "cross" as
they change of the fly - and other things have been known to fly is
these situations also.
 
  I used to worr about this also, but have decided that unobstructed
access to the bench is more fair than the penalty release time
disadvantage.  Not much a team can do about the rink layout, but they
can avoid the visitor can avoid the penalty release problem by not
going in the box in the first place.
 
-glen-
 
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