What is a shootout in hockey?
How a Shootout Works
A shootout occurs after a five-minute overtime period if the game is still tied. Teams take turns sending one player at a time to skate in and take a penalty shot against the opposing goalie.
Each team gets three attempts, alternating. The team with the most goals after three rounds wins. If still tied, the shootout continues in sudden death, round by round, until one team scores and the other does not.
Rules and Restrictions
All players except the goalies must be on the bench. The shooter starts from center ice and must keep the puck moving forward. Once the shot is taken, the play is dead.
In the NHL, the home team decides whether to shoot first or second. In international play (IIHF), the rules are similar but may vary in the number of rounds and sudden death format.
- Three rounds, then sudden death.
- Only one player per team per round.
- The shooter must keep the puck moving forward.
- The goalie can poke-check or play the puck.
When Shootouts Are Used
Shootouts are used in the NHL regular season and in some international tournaments. In the NHL playoffs, shootouts are not used; instead, teams play multiple 20-minute overtime periods until a goal is scored.
In the Olympics and World Championships, shootouts are used in the preliminary round but not in the medal rounds, which use continuous overtime.
Common mistakes
- Many think a shootout is the same as overtime, but it's a separate tie-breaking procedure after overtime.
- Some believe shootouts are used in the playoffs, but the NHL playoffs use continuous overtime instead.
- Others assume any player can shoot multiple times, but each player can only shoot once until all eligible players have shot.
