Penalty kill in ice hockey

Surviving being shorthanded

When a player receives a penalty, their team has to make do with one player fewer. The opponent plays a power play, the penalised team the penalty kill. Usually four skaters face five, and with two penalties even three face five. If the opponent scores, a minor penalty ends early. The aim of the penalty kill is therefore to get through the time without conceding.

The box formation

The most common basic set-up is the box: four players form a square in front of their own goal. Two defenders cover the area in front of the goaltender, while two forwards stand higher and disrupt passes to the blue line. The aim is to force shots to the outside and close off the dangerous area in the middle, the slot. Variations are the diamond or a more aggressive set-up in which one player pressures the puck carrier early.

Icing allowed

An important special rule: a shorthanded team may shoot the puck from its own half over the opposing goal line without icing being called. This lets the players gain breathing space and run time off the penalty. The opponent then first has to retrieve the puck and rebuild the attack.

Key skills

• Blocking shots: penalty killers throw themselves in front of shots, often with their shins or upper body.
• Winning faceoffs: a faceoff won in your own zone allows a quick clearance.
• Stick work: passing lanes are blocked with the stick without hooking.
• Changes: because playing shorthanded is exhausting, teams change frequently and use special penalty kill units.

The most important penalty killer, however, is still the goaltender.

Shorthanded goals

Sometimes the shorthanded team even scores, for example after an intercepted pass and a counter-attack. Such a goal is called a shorthanded goal. Its impact is double: the opponent's power play does not end, but the mood often swings.

Penalty kill percentage

The penalty kill percentage statistic shows what percentage of shorthanded situations a team survives without conceding. Together with the power play percentage, it forms the record of the special teams. Many games are decided in these situations, which is why coaches spend a lot of time on them.