# Hockey Penalty Minutes: How Is This Possible? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 21, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136 "2008-05-21T19:02:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/1 "2008-05-21T19:02:25Z")
Randy Holt, in 1979 set the record for penalty minutes in one game with 67. In that game, he also set the record for most penalties in one period with 9. All 67 of those penalty minutes were in that one period. How is this humanly possible and how come people never bring this up when they talk about sports records that’ll never get broken? Forget 56 games in a row! Nobody can EVER touch 67 in a period! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/2 "2008-05-21T19:05:56Z")
Wow. Well, I hate to be dull, but Wikipedia has the answer: > [@](#): > > After picking up a minor penalty early in the first period, Holt fought Philadelphia enforcer Frank Bathe at 14:58 of the first period, picking up 20 minutes in penalties. However, Holt felt that he had been a victim of a cheapshot from Flyers’ agitator Ken Linseman earlier in the game, and at the end of the first period instigated a bench-clearing brawl in an attempt to settle the score with Linseman. He was assessed a further 45 minutes in penalties for his actions during the brawl, including a triple game misconduct, bringing his game total to 67, shattering the previous NHL record of 52 set by Jim Dorey in 1968. He was also suspended three games by the league for his actions. Except for the first two, I’m guessing all the penalties were 5- and 10-minute majors and misconducts. And the fact that he went after Linseman after the end of the period allowed him to rack up a bunch of penalties without being sent off the ice. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/3 "2008-05-21T19:19:33Z")
Rats. That went quickly. It’s still an unassailable sports feat, though! Recognize! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/4 "2008-05-21T19:22:10Z")
It’s a hell of a record, I agree - even Chris Simon’s attempt to murder Ryan Hollweg or cripple Jarkko Ruutu didn’t get that kind of penalty time. Maybe someone can track down a box score from that game and find exactly what the penalties were. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2008, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/5 "2008-05-21T19:39:44Z")
Hell, it’s more penalty minutes than an entire regulation game has! ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2008, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/6 "2008-05-22T16:13:23Z")
Does anyone know if Mike Tyson knows how to ice skate? ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2008, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/7 "2008-05-22T22:41:35Z")
What’s the point of a “triple game misconduct”? Does that automatically get you suspended for the following two games? ---
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/8 "2008-05-22T23:00:20Z")
[QUOTE=Freddy the Pig] What’s the point of a “triple game misconduct”? Does that automatically get you suspended for the following two games? [/QUOTE] Presumably he committed three separate offences worthy of a game misconduct during the brawl. You won’t _automatically_ get suspended for multiple game misconducts in the same game. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/9 "2008-05-23T00:18:58Z")
[QUOTE=Rysto] Presumably he committed three separate offences worthy of a game misconduct during the brawl. You won’t _automatically_ get suspended for multiple game misconducts in the same game. [/QUOTE] I have to nitpick. [From the NHL Rulebook](http://www.nhl.com/hockeyu/rulebook/rule28.html) Rule 28-e: > [@](#): > > In regular League games, any player who incurs a total of three (3) game misconduct penalties in the “General Category” and exclusive of other designated categories, shall be suspended for the next League game of his Team. For each subsequent game misconduct penalty, the automatic suspension shall be increased by one game. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/10 "2008-05-23T01:05:16Z")
Was that the rule in '79? ---
**Author:** ![Raygun99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Raygun99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raygun99)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/11 "2008-05-23T01:40:39Z")
No, it wasn’t. That particular rule was adopted relatively recently, within the last five years or so. ---
**Author:** ![Santo\_Rugger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Santo\_Rugger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santo_Rugger)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/12 "2008-05-23T05:09:31Z")
But did he take of his ice skate and try to stab a guy? I thought not! ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/13 "2008-05-23T05:25:39Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] Was that the rule in '79? [/QUOTE] Old-time hockey? Eddie Shore? ---
**Author:** ![MadPansy64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@MadPansy64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPansy64)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/14 "2008-05-23T05:33:04Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] It’s a hell of a record, I agree - even Chris Simon’s attempt to murder Ryan Hollweg or cripple Jarkko Ruutu didn’t get that kind of penalty time. Maybe someone can track down a box score from that game and find exactly what the penalties were. [/QUOTE] [hijack] Hey, now, don’t go harshing on Simon! A) He’s cute, and B) He starred in my all time Favorite Hockey Moment – when Probert forgot Simon was a lefty. [/hijack] What’s the minor league record? I had the supposed “pleasure” of attending a game in Utah (seems like it was the farm team for the Islanders v. the farm team for Calgary, but don’t count on it) where the total penalties per team were triple game time, and there was a minute and a half or so where the goalies had nothing to do due to lack of other players. :smack: What a cluster! I kept checking the program for guys named Hanson, but they must have been using aliases. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2008, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/15 "2008-05-23T20:06:16Z")
[QUOTE=Raygun99] No, it wasn’t. That particular rule was adopted relatively recently, within the last five years or so. [/QUOTE] It was in the rulebook in '82 when John Wensink received an automatic suspension for game misconducts while playing for Colorado. I think he still holds the record for penalty minutes in a game for the Colorado Rockies/New Jersey Devils franchise. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/16 "2008-05-24T00:15:58Z")
Madam, don’t you diss Bob Probert. He’s a saint amongst hockey fight connossieurs. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/17 "2008-05-24T00:38:00Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] Madam, don’t you diss Bob Probert. He’s a saint amongst hockey fight connossieurs. [/QUOTE] Probert vs. Craig Coxe was a classic! ---
**Author:** ![MadPansy64](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@MadPansy64](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadPansy64)\ **Post date:** [May 24, 2008, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-penalty-minutes-how-is-this-possible/450136/18 "2008-05-24T16:09:49Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] Madam, don’t you diss Bob Probert. He’s a saint amongst hockey fight connossieurs. [/QUOTE] No dissin’ here. 'Twas a beautiful moment in hockey fight history. 😉