Hockey term for what happens while one's team is
shorthanded and trying to prevent the other team from scoring.
The most common strategy for killing a 5-on-4 shorthanded situation is the diamond.
/------------------------------|--
/| /----\ |
/ | / \ |
/ | / \ |
/ | rw . | |
/ | \ / rd |
| | C\ / |
| | \----/ |
| /-- W |
| | G D |
| \-- c |
| | /----\ |
| | / \ |
\ | /D \ ld |
\ | | . | |
\ | \ / |
\ | lw \ / |
\| \----/ |
\------------------------------|--
Positions in lower case indicate the offensive team (on the power play), upper case indicates the defenders.
As you can see, the skaters (2 defensemen, one center and one wing (either right or left, usually chosen for defensive skills rather than handedness) form a rough diamond. One defenseman is responsible for clearing out the front of the net so the goaltender can see any shots coming at him and doesn't have to worry about rebounds or deflections. The other D and the center generally cover the other two forwards. The winger at the top of the slot is charged with making sure the opposing defensemen on the points don't rush toward the net, and attempting to intercept passes between the two point men if feasible.