Youth hockey board retains stricter penalty rules

Checking from behind, like the illegal hit that paralyzed Jack Jablonski last December, will continue to trigger an automatic 5-minute major penalty in Minnesota youth hockey for at least another year. The Star Tribune reports the board of Minnesota Hockey voted 18-6 on Sunday to continue the rule change that elevated the penalty from two minutes to five. An ad hoc committee recommended going back to the original penalty structure while stepping up "education and accountability" of coaches, game officials and players.