<P> Boarding in ice hockey is a penalty called when an offending player pushes, trips or checks an opposing player violently into the boards of the hockey rink . The boarding call is quite often a major penalty due to the likelihood of injury sustained by the player who was boarded, and officials have the discretion to call a game misconduct or a match penalty (if they feel the offense was a deliberate attempt to injure) on the offending player . However, in the NHL, if the boarded player sustains a head or facial injury, the offending player receives an automatic game misconduct . If no injury is sustained, then a minor penalty will be called . In college ice hockey, the player does not need to be injured for it to be a major penalty . Boarding is usually assessed against a player when the opposing player is hit 4--5 feet away from the boards and hits one's head against the boards on the way down . </P>

When is a boarding penalty called in hockey