You never want to hear the words "match penalty" in a hockey game.
Hockey is a violent game. You have men skating full speed trying to knock each other over in order to gain possession of the puck. As a result, there are collisions that occur every shift. Most are clean, but some can be deemed illegal.
Given the intensity of the game, there are certain plays and hits that can be extremely dangerous, and that is where the match penalty comes into play.
The Sporting News explains what a match penalty is in the NHL.
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What is a match penalty in hockey?
A match penalty in hockey consists of a five-minute major penalty assessed to the offending player and the immediate removal of the player from the contest.
Here is how Rule 21.1 reads in the NHL rulebook:
A match penalty involves the suspension of a player for the balance of the game and the offender shall be ordered to the dressing room immediately. A match penalty shall be imposed on any player who deliberately attempts to injure or who deliberately injures an opponent in any manner.
Any match penalty is required to be reviewed by the on-ice officials for the purposes of either confirming or modifying the call.
Match penalty vs. major penalty
The main difference between a match penalty and a major penalty in the NHL is the "intent to injure" part of the match penalty rule.
In both cases, the offending player receives a five-minute major penalty. However, if the officials feel as though the actions were done in a way to intentionally hurt the opposing player, then that's where the match penalty comes in.
If a skater is assessed a major penalty, there might be a game misconduct tied to it, which would also remove the player from the game. However, it is again up to the officials' discretion whether or not a game misconduct should be added to the major penalty.
