There are numerous reasons ice hockey players may be sent to the penalty box during the course of a game and when they are it usually results in the opposition being awarded with a power play.
What is a Power Play?
A power play occurs when a team has a numerical player advantage on the ice against their opponents after a penalty has been called. The most common power play situation in hockey will see a 6 on 5 player advantage, this is including the goaltenders, but this scenario is typically known as a 5-on-4 power play as there are 5 skaters against 4.
What Does PP Mean in Hockey?
On statistic sheets and hockey game summaries, the term PP is simply the short way of writing out power play. The term SH is short for “short-handed.” PPP stands for power-play points (goals and assists) while SHP stands for shorthanded points.
Are Power Plays a Good or Bad Thing in Ice Hockey?
There’s no doubt that a power play is a good thing for the team that has the extra player on the ice as its chances of scoring a goal are considerably higher due to the player advantage. A team with an effective power play has a better chance of winning a game than a team with a non-effective power play.
Of course, if you’re the team on the other end of the power play it means you’re playing shorthanded and this is a bad situation to be in. Having a strong shorthanded team is a huge plus in ice hockey, it can save your team from losing a game in tight situations.
How Do You Get a Power Play in Hockey?
When one team is penalized during a game and the other team isn’t it results in the non-penalized squad being awarded with a power play. However, a power play can still be awarded when both teams are penalized at the same time if one of the teams is assessed a greater number of minutes in penalties.
For instance, if a player from team A is given two minutes for roughing and a player from team B is handed five minutes for fighting on the same play it will result in a three-minute power play for team A once its player has served the two-minute minor penalty.
How Long is a Power Play in Hockey?
The most common power play during a hockey game will be two minutes in length. This is because most penalties called in a contest are two-minute minors and typically just one team will be penalized on a play. However, a four-minute power play can result if a team is assessed a double-minor four-minute penalty and a five minute-power play is the result when a team is handed a five-minute major penalty.
Are there Different Types of Power Play Scenarios?
When a team is assessed a minor penalty it means the offending player needs to sit in the penalty box for two minutes. This results in a 6-on-5 power play for the opponent (counting the goalies), although it is most commonly referred to as a 5 on 4 when counting forwards and defencemen.
If the penalized team is assessed two penalties on the same play or takes another minor penalty before the first one has expired it results in a 5-on-3 skater advantage for the opponent. Depending on the penalties called against each team and the timing of the infractions, you may also see a 4-on-3 skater advantage for the team on the power play.
If both teams receive an even number of penalties you can also see a 4-on-4 3-on-3 situation, since both teams have the same number of players these are not considered power plays. However, I enjoy the 3-on-3, it is my favorite. When only 3 skaters per team, plus the goalies, there is so much ice and open space to skate with the puck, just be careful because a simple turnover can cost you a goal quickly.
What Happens if the Same Team Receives 3 Penalties that Overlap?
A penalized team can never have fewer than four players on the ice at a time during a hockey game. This could be three skaters and a goalie or four skaters if the netminder has been pulled for an extra attacker. If a team is assessed three different penalties on the same play or at any time during the action when they’re already shorthanded by two players, the third penalty and any called after that don’t begin until one of the previous penalties has been served.
This is to guarantee that the team has at least four players on the ice at all times. Therefore, regardless of how many players are in the penalty box or how many penalty minutes are called, when they overlap, the penalty time is delayed to make sure a side is never more than two players short on the ice.
Power Play Formations
Every competitive hockey team will practice the power play and there are several popular formations and strategies that are used. The most common of these are known as the 1-3-1, the overload, the umbrella, and the spread. As a player and a coach, knowing the different types of hockey power plays is very important to effectively defend against them.
The 1-3-1
The idea of the 1-3-1 power play set up is to create triangles for the attackers. This tactic utilizes one player at the point at the blue line with three others spread out in the middle of the ice and another player positioned in front of the net. The idea is to spread out the attack to create openings as the defending team will typically concentrate on the middle area of the ice. This can result in attacking players taking one-timers off of a pass.
Watch this great video showing the 1-3-1 power play in action by the Washington Capitals:
The Overload
The overload tactic sees the attacking team cycle and pass the puck continuously as a way to force the defenders into moving out of position. If a defender should happen to move out of position due to the constant puck movement it can create a shot or pass opening for the power play unit.
The overload strategy is also referred to as the 1-2-2, but the constant passing means the attacking team doesn’t shoot often, until an opening occurs, and there’s also a greater chance of turning over the puck due to a wayward pass. Basically, it allows the attacking side to outnumber the defenders along the boards and to create 3 on 2 situations in the offensive zone.
The Umbrella
This strategy sees the attacking team simply try to have two low players in the slot area in front of the net with the other three attackers creating a triangle near the blue line. This typically enables the two defencemen and a high forward to pass the puck around and take shots with the other forwards attempting deflections, tip-ins and rebounds while screening the goalie.
The umbrella format often results in shots from the points and the center blue line area as three attackers are stationed along the line with the other two close to the goal crease. In addition, since three players are situated along the blue line it’s a good way to defend against a shorthanded counterattack.
The Spread
The spread formation is also known as the 2-1-2. It features a player at each point with one in the middle of the ice and two others in the crease area. The defending team generally forms a box formation closer to the net and this means the attacking point players are given time to take a shot or make a play or pass.
This is the most common formation when the attacking team has a two-player advantage (5-on-3) as strong forwards usually crash the net to screen the goalie, deflect the puck and pick up any rebounds.
Are Hockey Power Plays Any Different in Overtime?
In the NHL regular season, the overtime period sees a reduction in players on the ice as each team plays with three skaters and a goalie. If a team receives a penalty the opponent is then allowed to play with an extra attacker to create a 5-on-4 (4 skaters vs 3 skaters) situation. If the defending team is assessed a second penalty, the attackers add another player to create a 5 vs 3 skater advantage. If both teams take a penalty at the same time the teams remain in a 3 vs 3 skater situation.
Also, if a team is assessed a penalty late in the third period and it it hasn’t been served by the time the period ends, the remainder of the penalty is served in overtime which means they play shorthanded in a 4 vs 3 skater situation. However, during the playoffs, overtime penalties are treated the same way a regulation-time penalty is because the teams play 6-on-6 hockey (5 skaters vs 5 skaters) in overtime.
What is the Opposite of a Power Play in Hockey?
The opposite of a power play in hockey would be playing one or two players shorthanded while the opposition is on the power play. When a team is shorthanded it attempts to kill the penalty by making sure it doesn’t concede a goal. The players on the ice during the shorthanded situation are known individually as penalty killers and collectively as a penalty-killing unit. Teams also practice killing penalties and use specific strategies and tactics etc.
What is a Power Play Goal in Hockey?
A power play goal simply means a goal that is scored while the team is on a power play. A shorthanded goal means a goal scored by the team which is defending a power play and is short on the ice by one or two players when it is scored.
Does a Power Play in Hockey End When You Score?
If the attacking team scores a goal while on a power play the opponent’s penalty is then over if it is a two-minute minor. If the team is serving a five-minute major the player must remain in the penalty box for the full five minutes which means the opponent may score as many power-play goals as possible. If the team is serving a double-minor penalty of four minutes, the remaining time in the first two minutes is wiped out after conceding a power-play goal and the second minor penalty will then begin.
What is the Likelihood of a Hockey Team to Score on a Power Play?
In general, statistics show that the likelihood of scoring a goal while on a two-minute power play is approximately 20 percent. However, this rises to about 60 percent if the team has a two-player advantage.
How Do Power Plays Affect a Player’s Plus-Minus Statistics?
A hockey player is awarded a minus statistic if they are on the ice when their team concedes an even-strength or shorthanded goal. A plus statistic is awarded to players who are on the ice when their team scores an even-strength or shorthanded goal. Players who are on the ice when their team scores a power-play goal aren’t awarded a plus and those on the ice when conceding a power-play marker aren’t penalized with a minus statistic.
What are Power Play Points in Fantasy Hockey?
The term PPP refers to power-play points. These are goals and assists which are earned by a player while his or her team has a numerical player advantage on the ice.
Has the Power Play in Hockey Changed Over Time?
Up until 1956, the NHL rule forced players to serve the full two minutes of a minor penalty. However, this rule was changed in 1956-57 and the penalty was deemed to be over once the opposition scored on the power play. The main reason for the rule change was the potency of the Montreal Canadiens’ power play which often scored more than once while the opponent was killing a minor penalty.
In fact, Montreal scored 26 percent of the entire league’s power-play goals in the 1955-56 campaign.
What is the Difference Between a Power Play and a Penalty Shot in Hockey?
When a penalty shot is called in hockey it means a player can skate in alone from centre ice against the goaltender and has one shot to score a goal. When a team is on the power play, the opponent must play shorthanded as the penalized player must serve the infraction time in the penalty box.
Final Thoughts
A good power play can often mean the difference between winning and losing a game or a playoff series and that’s why it’s so important for teams to practise it as well as penalty killing. However, it’s not always the strongest power play that can decide a game as it often comes down to timing.
A team may be 0 for 5 on the power play in a game and then manage to score with the advantage near the end of the contest or in overtime to seal a victory.
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.