There are several types of penalties assessed in the sport of ice hockey with the most common being a two-minute minor. There are also double minors, majors, misconducts, match penalties, game misconducts and penalty shots.
What is a Penalty Shot in Hockey?
A penalty shot is awarded when an attacking player or team has had a clear scoring chance taken away from them by the defending team due to a rule infraction. A penalty shot is when one player picks up the puck at center ice and skates in alone on the goalie in an attempt to score.
When is a Penalty Shot Awarded in Hockey?
An attacking team is awarded a penalty shot when the opposing team commits a specific type of infraction against them. Most penalty shots are awarded when the puck carrier has been denied a reasonable scoring chance, such as being fouled when alone on the goaltender during a breakaway opportunity.
This means when there are no defensive players between the puck carrier and the goalie. If the puck carrier still manages to get a shot off on the play a penalty shot may still be awarded if the player was denied a better scoring chance.
Watch J.T. Miller on the Vancouver Canucks receive and take a penalty shot against the Vegas Golden Knights. You will see how he was slashed on a breakaway and then how the penalty shot is given.
I was actually at this game in the 14th row behind the net watching! It was an exciting experience to watch a penalty shot live in action. The featured image above is my photo I snapped during this penalty shot.
A penalty shot may also be awarded for the following reasons:
- When an opponent throws a stick or any other piece of equipment at the puck carrier and impedes a scoring chance.
- If a defending player or goalie intentionally knocks the net off its moorings when an opponent has a clear-cut scoring chance or breakaway. A penalty shot may also be called if the net is purposely dislodged when there is not enough time left in the contest to serve a two-minute minor for delaying the game.
- When a defender other than the goaltender picks the puck up in the goal crease or places their hand on top of the puck in the crease.
If any of the above infractions take place when the defending team has pulled their goalie for an extra attacker, the referee will award a goal.
How is a Penalty Shot Taken in Hockey?
To take a penalty shot, the shooter picks the puck up at centre ice when the referee blows the whistle and is allowed to skate in alone and unimpeded on the goaltender. The player then attempts to beat the netminder with a shot or a deke.
Who Takes the Penalty Shot?
The player who had the scoring chance taken away from them is the one who is awarded with and takes the penalty shot. However if a penalty shot has been awarded due to the defending team handling the puck in the crease, the captain or coach may choose who will take the shot from anybody who was on the ice when the infraction occurred.
Also, if the player who was fouled can’t take the penalty shot due to injury or has been assessed with a game misconduct or match penalty on the play leading up to the penalty shot, the team may choose another player who was on the ice to take it.
What are the NHL Penalty Shot Rules?
The playing clock is stopped and all players other than the shooter and goalie must be in or in front of their respective players’ bench. The shooter is allowed to skate in alone on the goalie from the red line once the referee has blown the whistle and must keep the puck moving forward.
This means they can’t stop or attempt a spin-o-rama (360 degree turn) move. A lacrosse-style shot is allowed though as long as the puck remains below the shoulders of the shooter and below the crossbar when it’s released.
Once the player releases the puck towards the net the play is considered dead and complete when the puck either goes wide, hits the post/crossbar and bounces out or is saved by the goalie. A shooter isn’t allowed to try to score on a rebound. If the puck hits the post or crossbar and goes into the net then a goal is awarded.
Only a goaltender may defend against a penalty shot and must stay in the crease until the shooter has touched the puck at centre ice. The goalie may then attempt to stop the penalty shot in any manner, such as a poke check, but cannot throw their stick or any piece of equipment at the shooter.
The goalie must not dislodge the net either. If the goalie commits an illegal infraction during the penalty shot the referee will allow the attacker to complete the penalty shot and if he scores a goal will be counted. If the shooter fails to score then another penalty shot is awarded.
If a goalie commits an infraction on the second penalty shot then he will be assessed a misconduct penalty and the shot will be taken once again. A third infraction on a penalty shot will lead to a game misconduct for the netminder. If a penalty shot results in a goal the faceoff takes place at centre ice and if a goal isn’t scored the faceoff takes place in the defending zone.
In addition, if an opposing player or coach distracts or interferes with the shooter in any way and the shooter fails to score, another penalty shot is awarded and the offender will be penalized. On the other side of the coin, if an opponent distracts the goalie and the shooter scores on the penalty shot, the goal is disallowed and the offender is penalized.
A penalty shot will also be re-taken if fans throw anything on the ice that distracts the shooter.
NHL Penalty Shot Rules FAQs:
Can the goalie leave the crease during a penalty shot?
The goalie must remain in the crease until the shooter touches the puck at centre ice. Once the player touches the puck the goalie may move forward outside of the crease
Can a team change goalies for a penalty shot?
A team may change goalies before a penalty shot is taken if it chooses to have a different goaltender face the shooter. If a new goaltender is used to face a penalty shot he must stay in net until the next stoppage in play following the penalty shot before being replaced with the original goalie.
Can the shooter stop during a penalty shot?
A shooter may slow down during a penalty shot but isn’t allowed to stop. If the shooter stops, the penalty shot is considered to be complete.
What happens if the shooter loses the puck during a penalty shot?
If the skater loses possession of the puck during a penalty shot then the play is considered to be complete.
Is there a power-play after the penalty shot?
A penalty shot is typically called instead of a minor penalty. However if a penalty shot is awarded when the defending team is already shorthanded the player remains in the penalty box until the penalty has expired no matter what the outcome of the penalty shot is.
Can the shooter retrieve the puck after a missed penalty shot and continue play?
Once the shooter has released the puck towards the net he may not touch it again even if it rebounds to him from the post/crossbar or the goalie’s equipment.
Can a player be awarded two penalty shots on the same play?
Two penalty shots could possibly be called on the same play for two separate infractions. For instance, if a player is hauled down twice on a breakaway or the defending team also intentionally knocks the net off it’s moorings at the same time, the referee may award a penalty shot for each infraction.
In the extreme rarity of two penalty shots being awarded, the second penalty shot is wiped out if the player scores on the first attempt and a minor penalty will be served instead. If the player misses the first attempt though, the second penalty shot still takes place.
Do Penalty Shot Goals Count Toward NHL Player Stats?
Yes, a penalty shot goal which is scored in regulation time or overtime of an NHL regular-season or playoff game counts towards the player’s scoring statistics. Of course, there is no assist awarded on the goal. The goal also counts against the netminder’s goals-against average and save percentage.
Can a Team Receive Multiple Penalty Shots in One Game?
A team may have multiple penalty shots awarded for and against them in any game. It’s all up to the discretion of the referees.
What’s the Difference Between An NHL Penalty Shot and Shootout Shot?
A penalty shot and a shootout attempt, which was introduced in the NHL in 2005/06, are similar in the way in which they are taken and the rules concerning them. However shootout goals aren’t counted toward the player’s and goaltender’s regular-season statistics. The NHL does keep separate shootout statistics for teams’ coaching staffs though and for the interest of the fans.
Read our post on NHL Shootout Rules here.
Watch all the NHL Penalty Shots from 2021-22 Season (Video by NHL)
History of the Hockey Penalty Shot
The penalty shot was reportedly introduced to the sport of ice hockey in the 1921/22 season in the Pacific Coast Hockey Association (PCHA). Frank Patrick, the league’s president, invented it as a way to stop players from deliberately fouling opposing players when they had clear-cut scoring chances.
Hockey fans saw the first-ever penalty shot awarded on December 6th, 1921 but they didn’t witness the first penalty-shot goal until six days later on December 12th when Tom Dunderdale of the Victoria Cougars scored on goaltender Hugh Lehman of the Vancouver Millionaires.
The first penalty shots were quite different from the modern version though as the puck was placed 35 feet (11 metres) away from the net on one of three dots which were painted on the ice. The penalty-shot taker was allowed to skate to the puck and shoot it from the dot or shoot it from a stationary position. This more or less resembled a penalty shot in the sport of soccer.
The NHL didn’t add the penalty shot to the league’s rule book until the 1934/35 season and any player on the team was allowed to take the shot. The puck was placed inside of a 10-foot (3 metre) circle which was 38 feet (12 metres) away from the net.
The penalty-shot taker could skate up to the puck and shoot it from the circle or let it rip from a stationary position. In addition, the goalie had to be within a foot in front of the goal line and wasn’t allowed to move until the puck was shot.
The NHL’s first-ever penalty shot was taken on November 10th, 1934 by Armand Mondou of the Montreal Canadiens but he was foiled on the attempt by Toronto Maple Leafs’ netminder George Hainsworth. The first successful penalty shot in NHL history was taken by St. Louis Eagles’ player Ralph “Scotty” Bowman three days after Mondou’s attempt when he beat goaltender Alec Connell.
In the 1938/39 campaign the NHL changed the penalty shot format as the league allowed shooters to skate in on the netminder. In 1941/42, a penalty shot was classified as either a minor or major infraction:
- A minor penalty shot meant the skater had to shoot the puck on net from a line which was placed 28 feet out.
- A major penalty shot was awarded when the puck carrier was fouled with just the netminder to beat and was given a 1 on 1 with the goalie.
The major type of penalty shot is what we more or less now see today as the shooter was allowed to skate right in on the goalie from the penalty shot line. In 1961/62 the NHL rule stated that a penalty shot had to be taken by the player who was fouled.
Final Thoughts
The penalty shot is often called the most exciting play in hockey as it’s a one-on-one situation between skater and goaltender. It’s also pretty exciting because in general, penalty shots are quite rare.
But with the introduction of the penalty shootout to settle tied games after overtime, the one-on-one scenario has lost a little lustre as the play is now more common. Still, it’s the ultimate test between shooter and the last line of defence and it’s a play which is probably here to stay.
However, don’t be surprised if the NHL tinkers with the penalty shot rule in the future as some hockey people believe a two-minute power-play is preferable to a penalty shot. Perhaps in the future the team which is awarded a penalty shot will have the option of taking the shot or opting for a power-play instead.
Coaches may want to think hard about this option though since approximately 33 per cent of penalty shots are successful. Meanwhile, as of 2021/22, the most successful power-play in NHL history belonged to the Montreal Canadiens in the 1977/78 season when they were successful 31.9 per cent of the time.
Jamie is the founder of Hockey Response and he is the chief writer/ lead editor. Jamie has been playing hockey for over 20 years. He was the defenseman of the year in NL and has played Jr A level hockey. Jamie has coached several kids hockey camps and he was the assistant coach of the Western Kings.