What Is a Power Play in Ice Hockey?
A penalty can turn the ice into a numbers advantage.
A power play happens when one team has more players on the ice because the opponent has a player serving a penalty.
A power play in ice hockey occurs when one team gains a temporary player advantage after an opponent is sent to the penalty box. For example, a team may attack with five skaters against four. The team with more players usually has more space to pass, shoot, and create scoring chances. The penalized team tries to defend until the penalty ends or, in many cases, until the power-play team scores.