A breakaway is a situation in ice hockey in which a player with the puck has no defending players except for the goaltender between him or her and the opposing goal, so is free to skate in and shoot at will. A breakaway is considered a lapse on the part of the defending team. If a player's progress is illegally impeded by an opposing player or if the goalie's stick is thrown forward, the breakaway player is awarded a penalty shot. If a player faces an empty net and is illegally impeded by an opposing player, he or she is automatically awarded a goal instead of taking a penalty shot.