Day 17, Rule 17

The game: Vancouver. vs. Chicago.

Why I chose it: Because Center Ice didn't broadcast the Tampa Bay vs. Atlanta game.

My peeve: Center Ice didn't broadcast the Tampa Bay vs. Atlanta game. Just because it's on at 2 pm Pacific on a Sunday before Thanksgiving, doesn't mean loyal fans weren't interested. Bah humbug to TV stations who didn't want to broadcast this one.

The rule: Section 4, Types of Penalties. Rule 17, Bench Minor Penalties.

Number of sections in the rule: 3.

Definition: A bench minor penalty involves the removal from the ice of one player of the team against which the penalty is assessed for 2 minutes. Refer to reference tables for a list of infractions that can result in a bench minor penalty. Oh. Duh. That's it? Yep. This entire rule is shorter than the first section of the last one.

My favorite highlight: 17.1, Bench Minor Penalty. Any player except a goalkeeper of the team may be designated to serve the penalty by the Manager or Coach through the playing Captain and such player shall take his place on the penalty bench promptly and serve the penalty as if it was a minor penalty imposed upon him.

The final score: Chicago 1, Vancouver 0.

Bench minor penalties assessed: 9.

Morals of the story:

The game: This is like the rule of life where bad things happen to good people. If one of your teammates gets injured or ejected or otherwise can't serve said penalty, someone else who wasn't doing anything at all has to serve it. Selfless though it may be, fun it probably isn't. Neither player is digging life, but at least the guy serving it gets the respect for doing the deed.

Life: How awesome would it be if someone else could serve our bench minor penalties for us in life? Any person of my choosing can be designated to serve the penalty because I didn't want to deal with the consequences of my actions. Such player will take their place in my life promptly, so I can move to a new city and start over with a clean slate.

Next up on 11/23: Section 4, Types of Penalties. Rule 18, Double-Minor Penalties.