In ice hockey, a penalty shot is a type of penalty awarded when a team loses a clear scoring opportunity on a breakaway because of a foul committed by an opposing player. A player from the non-offending team is given an attempt to score a goal without opposition from any defending players except the goaltender.
In the series finale, “New York, I Love You XOXO,” the identity of Gossip Girl is revealed to be Dan Humphrey. Dan got the idea way back when he first met Serena at a party and knew he wanted to be with her. Knowing he would never be able to take her out of the Upper East Side world and bring her into his humble Brooklyn lifestyle, he created Gossip Girl as a way to write himself into that world.