The one thing you’ll never find in NHL hockey these days is a tie game as the league did away with stalemates back in 2005/06 when it introduced a penalty-shot shootout (PSS). This format was brought in to make sure a winner is declared in case the five-minute, three-on-three overtime session ends with no goal scored.
What is a Shootout in Hockey?
Tie games are decided by the five-minute overtime period which is a sudden-death format, meaning the first team to score wins the contest. However, if the game is still deadlocked after overtime it’s decided by a shootout which sees each team take three penalty shots. Not all three shots my be needed though.
For example, team A may score on it’s first two attempts while team B fails to score, meaning the shootout would be over after just two shots each. On the other hand, shootouts may also be extended well past three shots each if the score is still tied after the original three attempts.
In this case, the shootout turns to a sudden-death format. This means the game ends when one team scores and the other doesn’t after the same amount of shots have been taken.
The longest NHL shootout on record as of October 13h, 2023 took place in a game between the Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals on December 16th, 2014. Florida won the game 2-1 when scoring in the 20th round of the shootout. In addition, the 11 shootout goals also set an NHL record for most goals scored in a single shootout.
Here is a real NHL shootout goal by Kent Johnson on the Columbus Blue Jackets:
We could watch this shootout goal all day 🤩 pic.twitter.com/KwTn37HjBm
— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) January 7, 2023
When Was the Shootout Introduced to the NHL?
Shootouts were introduced by the NHL in the 2005/06 season. The league had started the five-minute overtime system in 1983 to cut down on the amount of tie games but if there was no goal scored in overtime the contest finished a tie with each team receiving one point in the standings. A team which won in overtime was awarded two points while the loser received none.
In 1999, the league decided a team which lost a game in overtime would receive one point. Since the shootout was introduced, the team that wins in overtime or the shootout is still awarded two points and the losing club receives one point. Teams which lose in a shootout or overtime have their result listed in the league standings as an overtime loss (OTL).
How Does an NHL Shootout Happen?
During a hockey shootout, the puck is placed at the centre ice circle and the referee will blow the whistle. The designated shooter picks up the puck and skates toward the opposing team’s net with just the goaltender to beat and no other players on the ice. Each team alternates in taking a shot rather than one team taking all three shots in a row.
What are the NHL Shootout Rules?
There are several rules associated with a shootout such as:
- The home team has the choice of shooting first or second in the event.
- The shooter must move the puck forward and has just one attempt at the net and isn’t allowed to touch the puck again after releasing it. Therefore, he can’t score on a rebound if the goaltender makes a save or the puck hits the goalpost.
- Each team’s goalie defends the same net where he played during the third period. The netminder must stay on the goal line until the shooter touches the puck.
- The goaltender must not throw their stick or any other article of equipment at the shooter. However, they are allowed to poke-check the shooter with their goal stick and leave their crease.
- Each player is allowed to shoot just once in the event until all of their teammates other than the goalie have taken a shot. If all players on a team have taken a shot then a player may shoot for a second time .
- The goaltender who played the overtime period does not have to play in the shootout. A coach may decide to use another goaltender for the shootout but must do so before the event begins. Once the shootout has begun a goaltender cannot be changed unless the the original netminder suffers an injury during the shootout.
- A team has the right to decline to participate in an NHL shootout. In this scenario the result will be a an overtime loss for the team refusing to participate.
- A player who is serving a misconduct penalty, match penalty, or game misconduct penalty isn’t allowed to participate in a shootout.
- The designated shooter must be inside the defending teams blue line before shooting the puck.
Who Decides Who Shoots in a Shootout?
The team’s coaching staff decides which players will participate in a shootout and the order in which they will shoot in.
What are the Pros of NHL Shootouts?
The shootout system is designed to declare a winner in a timely fashion without having to play on and on until somebody scores in overtime. It’s also an exciting format that enables fans to witness the individual creativity and skills of shooters and goaltenders. Shootouts make sure the game has a winner and also celebrate the art, skill and thrill of goal scoring and great saves.
What are the Cons of NHL Shootouts?
Many fans believe the shootout is simply a gimmick and that it isn’t really an appropriate way to decide who should win and lose a game as it’s an individual skill rather than a team effort. They feel the overtime period should be extended to at least 10 minutes or the game should simply end in a tie.
In addition, shootout wins don’t count as much in the standings as a regulation-time and overtime victory. The NHL lists regulation and overtimes wins for each club in a column known as ROW. When the regular season concludes, the first tiebreaker used for teams which have accumulated the same number of points is the number of regulation and overtime victories.
For example, if the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning both finish the campaign with 100 points the team which posted more regulation and overtime wins will be awarded the higher position in the standings.
Do NHL Playoff Games Have Shootouts?
Once the NHL playoffs begin, all tied games are decided in sudden-death, five-on-five 20-minute overtime periods as the shootout format is used only during the regular season. This means a tied playoff game could last periods and hours until somebody is declared the winner.
The longest NHL overtime game in history was played during the 1935/36 Stanley Cup semifinals. The Detroit Red Wings edged the Montreal Maroons by a score of 1-0 with the winning goal coming in the sixth overtime period. The overtime session lasted a total of 116 minutes and 30 seconds and of course came after the original 60 minutes of play, making the game 176 minutes and 30 seconds long in total.
It’s believed that the longest overtime game in the history of professional hockey took place in the Norwegian League playoffs in 2017 with the Storhamar Dragons edging the Sparta Warriors 2-1 in the eighth period of overtime. The overtime session took 157 minutes and 14 seconds while the entire game saw the teams play for 217 minutes and 14 seconds. In total, the game took approximately 8.5 hours to play.
Read all about overtime rules in the regular season vs playoffs here.
Do Shootout Goals Count Towards NHL Player Stats?
Shootout goals do not count towards a player’s individual scoring statistics, but shootout statistics for all participants and goaltenders are still recorded.
When a regular-season contest ends 0-0 following the overtime period, both goaltenders are awarded a shutout in the regular-season statistics.
The team that wins a shootout has a single goal credited to its season total, and the losing side has a goal against added to its total. Regardless of how many goals scored in a shootout, the game’s final score is recorded as a one-goal victory. For example, if a game ends 5-5 after overtime, the shootout win is recorded as 6-5.
10 Best Shootout Goals (Video by Sportsnet)
Are Olympic and NHL Shootouts Different?
Both the Olympics and NHL use a shootout system to determine the winner of a game but they use slightly different methods. The main differences see the Olympics use a five-shot system whereas the NHL uses a three-shot system.
In addition, any player can shoot again in Olympic hockey after the first three shots are taken whereas the NHL system states that a players can’t shoot twice in a shootout until every other skater on the team has taken a shot. In theory, the same player could take every shootout attempt for their team in Olympic hockey once the original five shots have been taken.
At the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, T.J. Oshie took six shootout shots in a game against the Russians and scored on four of them in a 3-2 win for the USA. Oshie was the third shooter in the event for the USA and then took every shot for his team until winning the game in the eight round of the shootout.
Are World Junior Shootouts and NHL Shootouts Different?
The IIHF World Junior Hockey Tournament uses a shootout system which is more in line with the Olympics. The tournament uses a five-player shootout format and after the first five shots have been taken a player may shoot again.
What’s the Difference Between a Penalty Shot and a Shootout?
The act of taking a penalty shot and a shootout shot are similar as the shooter has the chance to score in a breakaway situation from centre ice with just the goaltender to beat. The player can’t score on a rebound and the main difference between the two really is the fact that a penalty shot goal counts towards the individual statistics for both the shooter and goaltender.
Read our post on NHL Penalty Shot Rules here.
Can an NHL Hockey Game End in a Tie?
NHL regular-season games cannot end in a tie as the match is decided on either the overtime period or the shootout. A playoff game cannot end in a tie either as the game is decided in overtime.
NHL Shootout Rules FAQs
Can the Puck Go Backwards in an NHL Shootout?
The designated shooter must keep the puck moving forward at all times until releasing it at the net. However, when stickhandling and trying to deke the goalie a player may move the puck sideways and backwards while in possession.
Can You Completely Stop in an NHL Shootout?
If the puck or player comes to a complete halt in a shootout then the player’s attempt is disqualified. A shootout attempt is considered to be complete once the players shoots the puck or the puck passes across the goal line.
How Many Shots are in an NHL Shootout?
Each team has three shots in a shootout and the teams alternate taking shots. If the game is still tied after three shots the shootout enters a sudden-death format which sees a winner declared when one team scores on their shootout attempt and the other fails to after the same number of shots have been taken.
What Team Goes First in an NHL Shootout?
The home team has the choice of shooting first or second in the shootout.
Can A Goalie Throw His Stick in a Shootout?
A goaltender may not throw his stick or any other piece of equipment at the shooter.
Can You Take a Slap Shot in a Shootout?
Slap shots and all other types of shots are allowed in a shootout. However, seeing a player take a slap shot is rare.
Can a Player Pick Up the Puck with His Stick During a Shootout?
The puck can be legally picked up on the blade of the shooter’s stick and also whipped into the net (lacrosse style) as long as the puck is never not raised above shoulder height at any time and is also never carried at a height above the crossbar of the net. This is also a rare move in a shootout, much like the slapshot.
How Much Time Do You Have in a Shootout?
As long as the player is moving forward and doesn’t stop during a shootout attempt their is no specific time limit they have to adhere to.
Final Thoughts
It looks like the shootout is here to stay in the NHL as teams need to make sure they catch flights out of town and can’t really keep playing until a winner is decided. However, it’s possible the NHL could extend the overtime period to 10 minutes or revert to tie games in the schedule.
Another possible way to cut down on the number of overtime and shootout games would be to give teams more incentive to win in regulation time. This could be done by awarding teams three points for a win in regulation time, two points for a win in overtime or a shootout, one point for a loss in overtime or a shootout and zero points for a loss in regulation 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.
