However, sometimes a penalty in ice hockey, in Hong Kong and throughout the world, is actually a game-winning strategy. Here we go back to basics, looking at the different types of penalties and why they are applied, as well as looking at how a penalty on the ice rink can actually help you win the game.

Penalties in ice hockey tournaments in Hong Kong and throughout the world are usually expressed by forcing the penalized player to leave the ice for a number of minutes.

This leaves his team short-handed, sometimes at the very unequal ratio of five to three, if thee are two penalized players at one time (goalies are not counted in the tallies).

If more than two ice hockey players need to serve penalties at the same time, additional penalties are delayed until the first penalty expires, ensuring that there is never less than three players on the ice rink for any team.

Most ice hockey penalties are minor or major penalties, with the more severe match penalties, misconduct or game misconduct penalties being more rarely applied.

A minor penalty means that the offending player usually must leave the ice for two minutes, or until the opposing team scores a goal while the penalized ice hockey team is short-handed.

Ice hockey tournaments in Hong Kong also recognize bench minor penalties, which are issued against the entire team. One player is selected to serve the penalty (other than the goalie).

High sticking which results in injury to another ice hockey player often results in a double minor penalty, where a player has two consecutive penalties imposed on him. High sticking, cross-checking, hooking, interference, roughing, slashing, holding or holding the stick, delaying the game and tripping all commonly incur minor penalties.

Major penalties in ice hockey in Hong Kong work just as minor penalties do, but earn a player five minutes off the ice rather than two. Major penalties are usually issued for more severe instances of a minor offence, including minor offences that cause injury.

Fighting in an ice hockey game in Hong Kong always earns a major penalty, but if two players are sent off, they may be substituted for, giving both teams five players again. Other infractions that call for a major penalty include spearing, charging, boarding, butt-ending and fighting.

Misconduct penalties are handed out in ice hockey for more serious offences, and mean that a player must remain off the ice for ten minutes.

A game misconduct penalty can be given to either skaters or goalies, and ice hockey players that incur one of these must leave the ice immediately. He can be immediately substituted for, but three of these in a season incurs a one-match ban, and often further discipline.

It seems strange, but sometimes penalties are deliberately incurred in ice hockey tournaments in Hong Kong. If the opposing team is about to score, a penalty may be seen as the better option for a team than being scored against.

Sometimes players also break the rules in order to taunt the other team, especially if they believe they won't be caught.

This can institute retaliatory actions, and instigating players hope that it leads to penalty infractions that are caught. These ice hockey players are known as pests - with good reason!