Ice Hockey Penalty Shot: Rules and the Physics of a Deke

An ice hockey penalty shot gives one attacker an uninterrupted attempt to score against the goalie, starting with the puck at center ice. Its purpose is to restore a scoring opportunity lost through an opponent’s rule violation—not simply to punish any foul near the net. That is how NHL Rule 24 defines it.

For a shooter choosing a deke—a fake followed by a move with the puck—the useful principle is draw the goalie into a movement, then finish before they recover. A controlled lateral move can do that; extra stickhandling without a change in the goalie’s movement may accomplish little. Keep a direct shot available rather than forcing a deke.

When is a penalty shot awarded?

The details depend on the competition. Under the 2026–27 NHL rules, four conditions must be met for a penalty shot following a foul from behind:

• The infraction occurs beyond the puck carrier’s own blue line, in the neutral or attacking zone.
• The foul is committed from behind.
• The attacker has possession and control—or clearly would have obtained it—and loses a reasonable scoring opportunity because of the foul.
• No opposing player is between the attacker and the goalie.

Getting a shot away does not automatically rule out a penalty shot: the referee can judge that the foul denied a more reasonable scoring opportunity. These are the specific criteria in Rule 24.8.

Breakaway fouls are not the only route to a penalty shot. For example, a defending skater who falls on or gathers the puck into their body while the puck is inside their own goal crease can trigger one under Rule 63.6. The puck’s location at the instant of the offense matters, not simply whether the skater is in the crease.

How the attempt works

These are the NHL rules most relevant to choosing a move:

Question	NHL rule
Who takes it?	Normally the player specifically fouled. For other qualifying infractions, the captain selects a player who was on the ice when the infraction occurred. Injury and disqualification exceptions apply.
Where does it start?	The puck is placed on the center face-off spot; the shooter starts on the referee’s whistle.
Can the goalie come out?	Yes, but the goalie must remain in the crease until the shooter touches the puck.
Can the puck stop or go backward?	The puck must remain in motion toward the opponent’s goal line. A complete stop of the puck ends the attempt. A 360-degree spin-o-rama by the shooter is prohibited.
Can the shooter collect a rebound?	No. There is no second shot.

The NHL has a narrow rebound exception: a puck that hits the post or crossbar, then the goalie, and goes directly into the goal may count. That does not permit the shooter to play it again. The procedure and restrictions are in Rules 24.2–24.3.

The attempt uses no game-clock time. For an ordinary minor-penalty offense, the penalty shot replaces that minor regardless of whether it scores; additional or more serious penalties can still be served. A penalty-shot goal also does not release a player already serving a penalty. See Rules 24.6–24.7.

A penalty shot is not a shootout. The former follows a qualifying infraction; the latter decides a tied NHL regular-season game after overtime. NHL shootout attempts use the same attempt rules as penalty shots under Rule 84.4. Check your own competition’s rules rather than treating the NHL procedure as universal.

Why a lateral deke can work

A goalie moving sideways cannot instantly reverse their body’s motion. Changing velocity requires acceleration, produced by a net external force—the relationship described by Newton’s second law. In a lateral recovery, the goalie uses contact with the ice to redirect their movement.

If your fake draws the goalie one way and you move the puck the other way, reversing their sideways travel requires first slowing that motion, then accelerating in the new direction. That can create a temporary mismatch between where you can release the puck and where the goalie’s body can cover it. It is not a guaranteed opening: a reaching glove, stick or pad may still make the save without a full-body reversal.

That explains why timing matters more than decoration. Goaltending coach Mitch Korn’s breakaway guidance emphasizes patience, following the puck, and not reacting to the shooter’s first fake. A goalie who stays balanced may not give you the reversal you want.

There is also a limit to waiting. As an illustrative calculation, if the puck–goalie gap closes at a constant 6 m/s, a 3 m gap disappears in 0.5 seconds: time equals gap divided by closing speed. At 1.5 m, only 0.25 seconds remains. These are assumed values, not measured player averages. They show the trade-off: a late move reduces recovery time for the goalie while also reducing your own room to control and release the puck.

A simple practice routine

Use an agreed practice lane and a ready goalie, with other players clear.

1. Choose a controllable approach speed. You need enough balance to shoot or move the puck sideways without losing it.
2. Keep a shot available. Do not commit to a deke regardless of what the goalie does.
3. Try one fake and one lateral move. Look for an actual shift or commitment from the goalie—not just movement of their eyes or glove.
4. Finish the attempt without a rebound. Practise within the puck’s forward-motion restriction, then reset.

Alternate a direct shot with the deke from a similar approach. Note whether the goalie moved before your final puck shift and whether you still had a clean release afterward. If the goalie stayed balanced, the fake did not create the intended movement advantage. If you beat the movement but lost the puck, work on control before adding speed.