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An sixth or extra attacker in ice hockey is a forward or, less commonly, a defenceman who has been substituted in place of the goaltender. The purpose of this substitution is to gain an offensive advantage to score a goal. The removal of the goaltender for a sixth attacker is called pulling the goalie.
The sixth attacker is typically utilized in two situations:
- Near the end of the game — typically the last 1:30 — when a team is losing by one or two goals. In this case, the team risks a goal being scored on its empty net. In do-or-die situations, such as playoff elimination games, teams may pull the goalie for an extra attacker earlier in the game and/or when they are down by more goals.
- During a delayed penalty call. In this case, there is little risk of a goal being scored on the vacated net because once the opposing team regains possession of the puck, play will be stopped for the penalty.
It should be noted that sixth attacker is often a misnomer, as teams may pull the goalie when shorthanded by one or two players, in which case the "sixth" attacker would actually be a fifth or fourth attacker. Extra attacker refers to all situations when the goalie is pulled.
The sixth attacker concept was created by Weston Adams.
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