Hockey looks chaotic at first — players flying across the ice, pucks ricocheting off boards, sudden line changes. But the scoring itself is straightforward compared to sports like football or cricket. One puck in the net equals one goal. Most goals wins.
The wrinkles come in the details: what counts as a legal goal, how individual player stats work, and how the NHL awards standings points. That's what this guide covers.
How Goals Work
A goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the goalposts and beneath the crossbar. Doesn't matter how it gets there — a wrist shot from the blue line, a deflection off a skate, a rebound stuffed past the goalie. If the puck crosses the line legally, it counts.
The player who last touched the puck gets credit for the goal.
Rules That Make a Goal Count
The puck must fully cross the goal line. Sitting on the line doesn't count — refs will review close calls using overhead cameras. Players can score with their stick, skates, or body, but not with a hand or arm. You can't bat it in like a volleyball.
Goal Violations
Not every puck that crosses the line counts. These situations nullify a goal:
- High stick: If the puck is struck with a stick above the crossbar height before entering the net, the goal is disallowed.
- Kicking motion: You can't kick the puck into the net. A deflection off a skate is fine — it's the deliberate forward kicking motion that refs look for.
- Thrown puck: Throwing the puck into the net isn't allowed.
- Displaced net: If the goal frame gets knocked loose before the puck crosses the line, no goal.
- Offside: An attacker crossing the blue line before the puck results in a stoppage. Any goal scored on the play is wiped out.
- Goaltender interference: Crashing into the goalie or preventing them from making a save can get a goal overturned. This one generates the most arguments.
- Hand pass: A deliberate hand-to-teammate pass stops play, cancelling any subsequent goal.
Player Points: Goals and Assists
Here's where hockey confuses newcomers. "Points" in hockey don't mean goals. Points are an individual stat that combines goals and assists.
In the NHL, a player earns one point for a goal and one point for an assist. A player who scores 30 goals and records 50 assists has 80 points for the season.
Assists
Up to two players can earn assists on a single goal:
- Primary assist: The player who made the pass directly leading to the goal.
- Secondary assist: The player who passed to the primary assister.
A goal where all three players (scorer plus two assisters) each earn a point is common. Some goals have only one assist or none at all — a player who carries the puck end-to-end and scores gets an unassisted goal.
NHL Team Standings Points
Separate from player points, the NHL uses a standings point system to rank teams during the regular season. This is what determines playoff spots.
- Regulation win: 2 points
- Overtime or shootout win: 2 points
- Overtime or shootout loss: 1 point
- Regulation loss: 0 points
The overtime loss point is controversial — some fans call it a "loser point" and argue it distorts standings. But it does reward teams that stay competitive deep into games.
Overtime and Shootouts
When regulation ends tied, the format depends on the stakes.
Regular Season
A five-minute sudden-death overtime period, played 3-on-3 (instead of the usual 5-on-5). The open ice creates odd-man rushes and fast goals. If nobody scores, it goes to a shootout: three shooters per team, alternating one-on-one attempts against the goalie. Still tied after three rounds? It continues one shooter at a time until someone wins.
Playoffs
No shootouts. Twenty-minute periods of 5-on-5 sudden death, repeating until someone scores. Playoff overtime games are some of the most intense hockey you'll watch — some have gone to quadruple overtime.
How Scoring Shows Up on the Scoreboard
All those goals, assists, and penalty situations get tracked on the arena scoreboard and TV broadcasts in real time. If you want to understand what all those numbers, clocks, and indicators mean during a hockey game, see our guide: Hockey scoreboard explained.
Using Scoreboard Software
For rec leagues and local tournaments, software-based scoreboards are a practical alternative to expensive dedicated hardware. Pair a laptop or tablet with a TV or projector and you've got a professional-looking display.
KeepTheScore offers a dedicated hockey scoreboard that handles period tracking, score updates, and penalty timers — all controlled from a phone.
Pro Tip: Running a hockey league? Use Team Management to save team configurations (colors, logos, names) and reuse them instantly for future games.
Related Guides
- Hockey Scoreboard Explained — What every number, clock, and indicator means
- Softball Scoring — How runs work in softball
- Basketball Scoring — The 1-2-3 point system
