A player who receives a misconduct penalty is removed from the rink for ten minutes. The offending side, on the other hand, does not play short-handed since the player may be replaced by another player. After 10 minutes, the penalty player may resume the game. If the player remains in the penalty box for five minutes, then he or she will be ejected from the game. In addition to removing a player from the game, referees can also issue minor penalties, such as charging a player at least two yards away from the puck or kicking a ball out of bounds. More serious violations result in disqualification or suspension. A player who receives three major penalties in one season is automatically suspended for the next game. Penalties are usually given for illegal checks to the head or face, fighting (minor penalty) or for excessive body checking (major). However, any action that causes injury to an opponent can and will result in a penalty. For example, throwing your stick on the ice in retaliation for being hit with it; hitting a player with an elbow or knee; and spearing a player with a skate all result in penalties. Illegal actions such as these can cause serious injuries that may lead to a player's removal from the game. In fact, several players have been killed during NHL games because of severe head injuries caused by illegal checks to the head.