What is a Penalty Kill in Hockey?

Last updated on October 12th, 2022 at 12:48 am

A hockey penalty kill is one team’s attempt to prevent a goal while at a player’s disadvantage on the ice. Being down a player or two in ice hockey is a disadvantage due to penalties, and teams on the opposing power play have a greater chance of scoring a goal. Therefore a successful penalty kill is when the shorthanded team does not allow the other team to score a goal. Essentially, the disadvantaged team is trying to kill time off the penalty clock and not allow the other team to score.

So, what is the difference between a power play and a penalty kill in hockey? How often do goals occur during a power play? Can a team have a three-person advantage in hockey during a power play?

Here is the complete breakdown of what a penalty kill is in hockey.

Table of Contents

What is the Difference Between a Power Play and a Penalty Kill in Hockey?

A power play and penalty kill in hockey go hand in hand. For example, if there is a high stick penalty, one player goes to the penalty box and leaves their team with one less player on the ice for two minutes. That means the other team is in a power play for two minutes because they have an extra player on the ice against their opponent.

Each team has two different goals when there is a power play situation. The team with the power play has a great chance to score a goal since they have an extra player/s on the ice, so they tend to be more aggressive via their offensive strategy. Meanwhile, the other team with a player or two less on the ice tends to play more conservatively and defend their offensive zone to limit the chance of scoring.

When Does the Player Return from the Penalty Box During a Power Play?

The person/s in the penalty box can come back on the ice in two ways. The first way is that they return to the ice after sitting out for the total of their penalty minutes. Meanwhile, the second situation is if the team with the man advantage scores a goal while on the power play, they can come back to the ice via the immediate faceoff, even if they still have time left on their penalty.

Can a Team on a Penalty Kill Score a Goal?

A team playing with fewer players on the ice via the power play can still score a goal, which is a short-hand goal. Sometimes a breakaway from the team with the disadvantage can result in a score for that team. When a team with a man down scores a goal, they resume action via a faceoff but still will be at a disadvantage until their player returns from the penalty box.

How Often Do Teams Score a Shorthanded Goal in Hockey?

During the 2021 NHL season, there were an average of 4.3 shorthanded goals per team. The teams with the most were the Montreal Canadiens and Boston Bruins, with nine each. Meanwhile, the team that had the least was Philadelphia Flyers and Colorado Avalanche with one.

To put that number into perspective, teams had an average of 32 powerplay goals in 2021. The Edmonton Oilers led the league in 2021 with 48 powerplay goals. The team with the least number of powerplay goals was the Anaheim Ducks, with 11.

What are Ways to Kill Time off a Penalty Clock?

When a team is down a man or two due to penalty minutes, they need to take as much time off the clock to get back to equal strength. One way to take time off the clock is to clear the puck when you get that chance. When you clear the puck, you send it down the other side of the rink, forcing the power play team to reset and return to the neutral zone to start an offensive drive.

Another way teams take time off the clock is by passing the puck around. Passing the puck to your teammates helps shed some time off the penalty clock. In addition, you are keeping the puck away from the team with the player advantage on the ice, which limits scoring chances.

Can a Team Have a Three-Person Advantage in Hockey?

A team can have a three-person advantage in hockey, but there is only one possible way for this to occur. One team must have two penalties, and then the team with the two-person advantage pulls their goalie for another skater. However, this situation is rare to have a three-person advantage on the ice.

What Happens if a Team Commits a Penalty Already Down 5-3 on the Ice?

If a team is already down 5-3 with players on the ice and commits another penalty, that new penalty will start after one of the previous penalties completes. A team will never have less than three skaters on the ice. The only way for a team to ever have a three-person advantage would involve a goalie pull, but that would be a 6-3.

Conclusion: What is a Penalty Kill in Hockey?

In summary, a penalty kill in hockey occurs when one team has a disadvantage on the ice and stops the opposing team from scoring on them. The disadvantage on the ice occurs when a team commits a penalty during a game. Teams with the power play advantage have a higher chance of scoring a goal, so the other team must focus on their penalty-killing strategy.

When a team is on a penalty kill, they must do two things. First, they should attempt to clear the puck down the rink to take as much penalty time off the clock. Second, they should pass the puck to their teammates to keep possession away from the team with the player advantage to limit goal chances.

Finally, there are instances when a team with a disadvantage in a power play can score a goal. When a team with a disadvantage scores a goal, it is a shorthanded goal. While these goals are less frequent than a powerplay goal, they can still happen, which means the team with the advantage still needs to play smart against their opponent, even with the odds in their favor to score.