Delay of game (ice hockey)  Delay of game is a penalty in ice hockey. It results in the offending player spending two minutes in the penalty box. In the NHL, delay of game is usually called under eight circumstances:   Delay of game penalties may also be assessed as a bench minor penalty (a minor penalty against the entire team rather than a specific player). These may be called if the team repeatedly engages in actions that postpone resumption of play (for example, being offsides before the faceoff) or if objects are thrown onto the ice that impede the progress of the game - traditional celebratory actions such as the throwing of hats onto the ice after a player records a hat trick are usually exempt from this rule.