What is a power play in hockey?
A power play is when one team has more players on the ice because the other team is serving a penalty; the shorthanded team is on the penalty kill.1 If a shorthanded team gives up a goal while serving a minor or bench minor, the minor with the least time left ends right away.2 (NHL Rule 16)
The details
A goal scored on a penalty shot does not release a penalized player. (Rule 16)2
A double minor is four minutes served as two separate minors, so a power-play goal ends only the first two-minute portion. (Rule 18)2
A major penalty does not end when the other team scores; the player serves the full five minutes. (Rule 20)2
If a minor is signaled but the team that was fouled scores before play stops, the minor is not given. Majors and match penalties are still given. (Rule 15)2
A team can be down at most two skaters at once: if a third player is penalized while two are already serving, his time starts only when one of the first two penalties ends, and a substitute keeps at least three skaters on the ice. (Rule 26)2
When one player from each team gets a minor at the same stoppage and no other penalties are on the clock, both teams play four skaters against four. (Rule 19)2
When equal penalties are given to both teams in other situations, substitutes are allowed for them and they cancel out, and only any time difference is served as a power play. (Rule 19)2
The team getting the power play chooses which end-zone dot the opening faceoff is on. (Rule 76)2
The shorthanded team is allowed to ice the puck. (Rule 81)2
A shorthanded goal is one scored by the team that has fewer players on the ice.3
Power-play percentage is power-play goals divided by power-play chances; penalty-kill percentage is the share of shorthanded situations killed off without allowing a power-play goal.3
A 10-minute misconduct by itself does not create a power play; a substitute replaces the player right away. (Rule 22)2
More hockey rules
Hockey penalties list · What is icing in hockey? · Hockey terms and slang · All hockey rules
Sources
- Wikipedia: Glossary of ice hockey terms · accessed 2026-10-23
- NHL Official Rules 2025-26 (league) · accessed 2026-10-23
- NHL.com: Hockey Glossary (stats definitions) · accessed 2026-10-23
Rules are paraphrased, not quoted; the rulebook wins wherever wording matters. NHL rules unless a league is named.