Too Many Men

Too many men is a penalty that may be called in various team sports when the team has more players on the field or other playing area than are allowed by the rules. Penalties vary from one sport to the next.

Hockey

Too many men on the ice is a penalty in ice hockey called when a team has more than the legal number of six players (including the goalie) on the ice at one time. The punishment for this penalty is two minutes in the penalty box served by the player chosen by the offending coach from one of his players on the ice at the time of the penalty.

While this penalty can sometimes result from an improper line change, it occurs most commonly when a player comes onto the ice during a line change and touches the puck before the player he is replacing leaves the ice.

American football

If a team has more than eleven players on the field during a play, the offending team is penalized five yards. This is usually the result of an improper substitution.

Lacrosse

Similar to hockey, too many men is a minor penalty in lacrosse, and a player from the offending team is sent to the penalty box.

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