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Hockey is a rough sport. Contact between players is common and as a result, referees regulate this contact with a list of infractions. One such severe infraction involves checking from behind. Before understanding why this penalty is so severe, it's necessary to understand the basic concept of checking in ice hockey.

Checking occurs when opponents meet on the ice to claim possession of the puck. Checking occurs with both sticks and the body. Stick checks and body checks are only allowed against an opponent while he has possession of the puck. In addition, checks are allowed only in the time immediately after a player gives up the puck.

Checking often seems like incidental contact much like bumping. Mastering the art of checking can result in the opponent losing control of the puck and a quick switch from defense to offense. Incidental contact such as bumping can also be called checking. Checking also include physical contact used to slow down a player in possession of the puck. As with most physical contact in hockey, interpretation as well as emotion often dictates the severity of the contact. Checking a player a few seconds after losing the puck can result in a charging call.

When temper run high, as often happens during game play, another type of checking can occur. Checking from behind occurs when one player shoves an opponent from the back. Now this might not seem like a big deal but it really is. Players are balanced on two thin blades on their skates. Despite playing such a tough sport, there are still plenty of opportunities for severe head and neck injuries.

Checking from behind occurs when an opponent hits another player on the back on the open ice or against the boards. Referees frown on shoving from behind because players are blind to the intentions of their opponent. This doesn't give them time to protect their head and neck or brace themselves for a fall. Checking from behind is always a serious penalty.

Penalty minutes are assessed for checking from behind based on the severity of the check. Open ice checks usually receive a two-minute penalty as well as a misconduct penalty for intentional rough play. Misconduct penalties add 10 minutes to the original two-minute penalty, resulting in significant time away from the ice. The harsh result of checking from behind clearly reveals the severity of the penalty.

Checking a player from behind into the boards on the side of the rink or the goal post frame, a major penalty results. The belief is that the intent was to cause harm and the punishment is a more sever 5-minute major penalty. Head collisions with the boards can cause severe damage to players. Checking from behind into the boards also results in a game misconduct penalty. Again, this goes to intent. Shoving a player from behind into the boards shows deliberate intent to harm. Players are ejected from the game and often-subsequent games. If an opponent is harmed during a incident of checking from behind, the offending player often is suspended for a number of games.

Remember that acceptable checking involves contact that slows down the opponent while he controls the puck. Checking doesn't involve injuring an opponent.

Learn more about this author, S. F. Heron.
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