NHL Playoffs: Upping the Physicality, Crossing Lines

0:00On April 26th, NHL playoffs first round got only five official fights so far, according to HockeyFights.com. But the cheap shots, headhunts, and post whistle scrums are everywhere. Violence is cranking up big time. Like that sucker punch from Ottawa's Ridley Gregg on Carolina Sean Walker, when his head was down in Game 4. Other series are matching the Heat 2. Tapabe and Montreal racked up 52 penalty minutes and 77 hits in Game 2 alone. Philly and Pittsburgh saw 22 penalties in one second period, with players packed in the box. Even Cindy Crosby got slashed while wrestling on the ice. Players and pundits are calling it out hard. Montreal's Arbor Shikaj, no stranger to penalties himself, said that kind of 2-on-1 punch crosses the line. Former NHLer Paul Bisonette labeled it total nonsense and broadcasters like Kelly Rudy called it gutless. Teams like Tampa Bay, who led the league with 1207 penalty minutes this season, leaned into the bully style to rattle opponents.

1:03It's playoffs, so everyone ups the physicality to make foes uncomfortable, way beyond regular season norms. Walker got revenge with a hit from behind, settling some scores on ice. Expect more tension as rounds go deeper, with players handling their own business. Stay locked in with NHL News Today, AI-powered updates.