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Special teams are the situations created when a penalty leaves one hockey team with fewer skaters than its opponent. The team with the advantage is on a power play; the short-handed team is on a penalty kill. Each side changes how it plays to make the most of—or survive—the manpower difference.
What “special teams” means
“Special teams” is the umbrella term for play when penalties create a manpower advantage or disadvantage. The advantaged team tries to use its extra skater to create and convert scoring chances. The short-handed team tries to protect its net and get through the penalty time without conceding a goal. The IIHF describes penalty killing as playing short of one or two players because of penalties. IIHF, “Ice Hockey Terminology”
What each side is trying to do
Power play
A power play is the advantaged team’s opportunity to attack with more skaters on the ice than its opponent. Its broad aim is to use that numerical edge to create a good chance and score. The term describes the situation, not a guarantee that the team will score.
Penalty kill
A penalty kill is the short-handed team’s defensive situation. The team focuses on protecting the net and making it through the penalty time. The IIHF lists clearing the puck down the length of the ice and defending in a box or triangle formation inside the defensive blue line as penalty-killing strategies. These are examples, not a universal formation used by every team.
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What “short-handed” and “shorthanded goal” mean
A team is short-handed when it has fewer skaters because of a penalty. A shorthanded goal is a goal scored by a team while it has a manpower disadvantage. It is not a goal scored by the team on the power play. The NHL glossary defines the term this way: NHL Hockey Glossary.
How broadcasts use PP% and PK%
These percentages describe scoring and penalty killing in relation to opportunities; they are rates, not complete measures of tactical quality or guarantees of future performance. The NHL glossary gives the following formulas:
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| Stat | What it measures | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Power-play percentage (PP%) | Goals scored on power plays relative to power-play opportunities | Power-play goals ÷ power-play opportunities |
| Penalty-killing percentage (PK%) | Short-handed situations killed relative to total shorthanded situations | (Shorthanded situations − power-play goals allowed) ÷ shorthanded situations |
When comparing teams, read PP% and PK% separately and check that the figures refer to the same league and season. The formulas alone do not establish a current league-wide result or a team ranking, so no ranking follows from these definitions.
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Does a power-play goal end the penalty?
Not necessarily. The consequence depends on the penalty, the manpower situation, and the applicable rulebook. In the NHL’s 2025–26 official rules reference, Table 12 addresses a specific case: when a goal is scored against a short-handed team serving a minor penalty, the minor with the least time remaining ends, except when coincidental penalties are being served. This is a scoped NHL rule summary, not a rule that should be applied to every penalty or competition. NHL Official Rules 2025–2026, Reference Tables, Table 12
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Why the league and season matter
Penalty procedures can vary with the penalty type, current manpower, and governing rulebook. For example, the NHL’s cited table is specifically from its 2025–26 rules reference. USA Hockey lists the 2025–29 Official Rules of Ice Hockey in its rules and resources section; youth and amateur players or viewers should consult the applicable USA Hockey edition and any competition-specific rules rather than assume NHL procedures apply. USA Hockey, Rule Book & Resources
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