The puck crosses the red goal line, the net bulges, the red light goes on and the crowd roars its approval. A goal has been scored in hockey--one of the best moments in the game. Players work on their shot in practice and in their spare time so they don't fail to score a goal when they get the opportunity.
Power Play Goal
A power play goal is scored when a team has a one-man or two-man advantage over its opponent. This happens when a penalty has been called. The team with the advantage attempts to move the puck in the offensive zone given the extra room--one of its top shooters often gets the time and space to deliver a shot that the goaltender can't handle. On a power play, this shot typically comes from the "slot" area, 10 to 20 feet in front of the goal, on a rebound after the goalie has made a save or from the point just in front of the blue line.
Short-handed Goal
A team can score a goal after it has been penalized and is playing with a numerical disadvantage. Typically, this happens when a pass is intercepted or a shot is blocked and the defending team goes on a breakaway. When this happens, the shooter typically makes one or two fakes to draw the goalie out of position before shooting.
Game-winning goal
The game-winning goal usually comes late in a game when the score is tied. A player who scores to give his team a lead that it does not relinquish is credited with scoring a game-winning goal. It can also come early in the game (when there is no more scoring by the opponent) or it can come in overtime. An overtime goal is always a game winner, as it automatically wins the game for the scorer's team.
Shootout Goal
In the National Hockey League, teams go to a shootout when the score is tied after 60 minutes, and nobody scores in the five-minute regular-season overtime period. In a shootout, each team selects three players; each player takes the puck at center ice and skates in on the goalie alone in an attempt to beat him with a shot. For example, if the Bruins have two of their three players score shootout goals, while the Red Wings have just one player score on their three shootout attempts, the Bruins win the game. If the score is tied after three attempts, the teams alternate shots, with the first team to score and save being the winner.
Garbage Goal
This is the kind of goal scored when a player scores on a rebound from right in front of the net. Typically, another player has made a series of moves and unleashes a powerful shot that the goaltender manages to get his skate or stick on and save, but the puck drops to the ice and an opportunistic player grabs it and scores on the rebound. While this term sounds derisive, teams need players who can score garbage goals. It may not be as aesthetically pleasing as a 40-foot slapshot to the top corner, but it counts just the same on the scoreboard.
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