A power play goal in hockey is a goal that is scored with a man advantage due to an opposing team player serving a penalty.
When a penalty is called against a player he will be sent to the box for two to ten minutes depending on the infraction. During this time his team will have to play with one fewer player as he serves his time in the penalty box.
When the team with the man advantage scores this is referred to as a power-play goal. Power play goals are referred to by the acronym PPG when it comes to statistics.
These sorts are goals are quite common as teams often score when they possess a man advantage. In fact, Colorado led the league in powerplay percentage in the 20/21 season scoring on 41.38% of their powerplays.
What To Know
Powerplays are given when a player on the opposing team commits a penalty. Though it is important to know that there are several different types of penalties/powerplays.
The most common powerplay is going to last two minutes. A powerplay of this length is the result of a minor penalty. Minor penalties are going to make up the vast majority of powerplays though they are the shortest in terms of penalty time.
Next are double minor penalties these penalties last for a total of four minutes and are rarely called. These penalties are rare because there are only a few infractions that earn you a double minor penalty.
Double minor penalties can be assessed for butt-ending, spearing, head-butting and high sticking that draws blood.
Additionally, when a power-play goal is scored on a double minor penalty the player remains in the box. Only the first two minutes of the double minor is removed if the team with the man advantage scores.
The final penalty that leads to a powerplay is a major penalty. Major penalties are especially harmful as they result in a five-minute powerplay. On this powerplay, the team with the man advantage can score as many times as they like and the offending player must stay in the box.
Power Play And Plus Minus
Another important thing to note about powerplay goals is that they do not affect your plus-minus. If you are on the ice with a man advantage a goal will not earn you a plus. If you are on the penalty kill you too will not receive a minus for the goal against.
The reasoning for this is simple. Players on the penalty kill would be unfairly affected by powerplay goals. Additionally, players on the powerplay would be able to artificially inflate their plus-minus with powerplay goals.
That all being said when a short-handed goal is scored both teams plus-minus statistics will be affected.
Are Goals With An Empty Net Goals PPGs?
Often times late in hockey games a team in dire need of a goal will pull their goalie in order to get another skater on the ice. This will result in one team having six skaters and the other team having five.
Since one team has a man advantage some fans believe this may be a powerplay goal. The answer to this question is no. Despite having more players on the ice this is not considered a power-play goal.
The reasoning for this is that a powerplay goal requires a man advantage being due to a penalty. So long as no players are in the box no man advantage should be considered a power play or a powerplay goal.
Along the same vein when an empty netter is scored this does not count as a short-handed goal. This is for the same reason as powerplay goals, in order for it to count there must be a player serving a penalty in the box.