Breakaway (ice hockey)

A breakaway in ice hockey is a situation in which a player with the puck has no defending players except the goaltender between himself and the opposing goal, leaving him free to skate in and shoot at will (assuming he can skate faster than the defenders trying to catch him). A breakaway is considered a serious defensive lapse on the part of the other team. If a player is fouled from behind on a breakaway, he is awarded a penalty shot.