What is Shorthanded?

When one team has fewer players on the ice than the other, usually because a player is serving a penalty.

What this tells us

When a team is shorthanded, they're defending with a disadvantage — say, four skaters against five. Your job is to keep the puck out of the net and try to clear it up the ice. A shorthanded goal is one of hockey's most exciting plays: the outnumbered team scores anyway.

Limitations

Shorthanded situations are rare and heavily context-dependent — the strength of the opposing power play, the quality of your penalty killers, and how much time is left in the penalty all matter. A team's shorthanded goal rate might look great or terrible based on a few lucky bounces, not underlying performance.

Example

If the Maple Leafs have four skaters on the ice and the Bruins have five, the Leafs are shorthanded. If a Leafs player scores during that 5-on-4, it's a shorthanded goal — and everyone in the building goes wild.