NHL playoff hockey is a different game. Fans, media, coaches, and players will all wax poetic about how it’s heavier, harder, and how there is less space on the ice. It may be anecdotal, but there is some truth to it.
If the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild intended to set a physical tone in the opening game of their first-round playoff matchup, let it be known that the message was heard loud and clear.
In their 1-0 thrilling overtime win over the Golden Knights, the hits came heavy and fast:
93 hits through two periods, a franchise-record 53 already for the #mnwild.