Why do refs penalize fighting but they stand aside and watch it happen?

[Mo_Cutter]

It's like a cop letting a minor finish his drink before ticketing him and then breaking out the fisticuffs.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

This is actually a shockingly valid question and how non-hockey fans see the ridiculousness of the sport.

Rep, MO, now, tall, lack, komodo and a scone....

 

[TheRobotDevil]

We gonna do this again 46

 

[puckhead]

A. Because the refs want to watch, too
B. Because you can't penalized a fight until it happens, or its just roughing (which sometimes happens)
C. Because they know that sometimes it is best to let a little steam out of the game

 

[Mo_Cutter]

We gonna do this again 46

lol, C...

 

[pixburgher66]

It's a good question you know. Haha

 

[24seven]

I think the police should step in. A fight is a fight, regardless of whether it started as a game or not. The exception being boxing, martial arts, of course.

 

[DChero]

The 'penalty' isn't treated as a traditional penalty. If you think about it, they don't give an advantage to either team, so no one is actually being penalized - assuming that all players are of equal value. To me, it's listed as a penalty because they need a reason to keep the two parties away from each to heal/avoid delaying the game.

Now we can discuss what actually defines a penalty.