What are the penalties for checking from behind?

Rule 7.5 of the Hockey Canada Playing Rules 2026-2028 makes the player delivering the check responsible for avoiding contact to an opponent's back. Checking from behind means a player is pushed, body-checked, cross-checked or hit from behind.

• Minor and Game Misconduct: any player who intentionally pushes, body-checks, cross-checks while in motion, or otherwise hits an opponent from behind, anywhere on the ice (7.5 a).
• Major and Game Misconduct: at the referee's discretion based on the degree of violence, and mandatory if the opponent is injured on a hit that would otherwise be a Minor (7.5 b).
• Match penalty: for pushing, checking or hitting an opponent from behind into the boards or goal frame so they cannot protect themselves, or for deliberately attempting to injure or injuring an opponent by checking from behind (7.5 c).
• Referees are told to strictly enforce the rule where a player turns and creates contact with the back, where a player digging for the puck is hit from behind and driven head-first into the boards, and where a player's feet are kicked or pulled out and the player is then pushed into the boards.

Interpretation: a stationary player who cross-checks an opponent from behind is penalized for cross-checking. A player in motion who does so is penalized for checking from behind. A cross-check from behind into the boards or goal is always checking from behind.