When it comes to hockey, momentum is critical. It’s what takes a team from an average performance to a dominating display, and can be the difference between a win or a loss. And it’s not as if momentum just suddenly “happens”; it’s a process in its own right:
A team doesn’t just automatically get momentum from a flat opening period to a third goal instantaneously. Conscious steps are taken in small doses to get the momentum trajectory going in the right direction, whether it comes from a big save by the goalie, a hit by a defenseman or scoring threats by any player.