National Hockey League Rules - Scoring and Winning

Scoring and Winning

A goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line and enters the net. A goal may be disallowed under the following circumstances:

• the scoring team takes a penalty (except if the other team accidentally puts the puck into its own net untouched by the team to be penalized);
• the puck is directed in by an attacker's high stick (above the crossbar), or when the puck has been directed, batted, thrown or kicked into the net by an attacking player other than with a stick (angling one's skate so the puck deflects off it into the goal is allowed).
• goaltender interference (which can also result in a penalty)
• the puck goes in after the Referee intends to stop play (e.g. the net has been dislodged)
• the puck deflects off a referee or linesman and goes directly into the goal (exception to the rule that a puck hitting a referee or a linesman is still live)
• a goal was allowed at the other end (this can happen if a video review clarifies a goal scored prior, as happened in a game on November 15, 2010 between Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks)
• if a linesman reports to the referee (a) a double-minor for high-sticking, (b) a major penalty, or (c) a match penalty against the scoring team.

When a regular-season game is tied at the end of regulation, it goes into a 4-on-4, 5-minute overtime after a 1-minute rest period with teams keeping the same attacking direction. When there is a goal during it, the game ends and the team that made that goal wins. If there is no scoring in the 5-minute overtime, the game goes into a 3-frame shootout with the home team given the choice of shooting or defending first. This sequence ends when one team mathematically has more shootout goals than the other, thus winning the game. If neither team emerges victorious, the shootout continues one frame at a time until one team scores and the other does not, in which case the team who scores is given the win. A team that loses a game in overtime or the shootout receives one point in the standings; the awarding of game points to losing teams is a point of debate among fans and the media.

Shootouts are not used in the playoffs; instead, a playoff game tied at the end of the regulation enters a 20-minute 5-on-5 sudden-death overtime. The game continues indefinitely in this format until a goal is scored; the team that scores immediately wins the game. Additional 20-minute overtime periods are played as necessary until the winning goal is scored. In this case the teams switch sides as usual between periods, with 20 minute intermission (normal length) between periods.