As long as we're talking rules, I've got a question also.
This situation happened at a recent RPI game. There was an altercation at the end of a play and the referee called
matching minors. He sent the two players off the ice and play continued with 5 players on each time (plus the goalies).
I thought the rule was that matching minors at 5 on 5 results in a 4 on 4. If one of teams was down a man and there were matching minors, they would stay 5 on 4 or if the teams are already 4 on 4, matching minors would leave them 4 on 4.
Later on in the same game, there were matching minors and the teams played 4 on 4.
We went through this last year (and probably the year before) but apparently I still don't get it.