from Randy Sportak of the Calgary Sun,

So, it’s a shame to see watch that “tight defence” is already back front and centre in the NHL.

Case in point, the Edmonton Oilers playing a “patient” game to beat the Phoenix Coyotes 2-1 in OT Wednesday night.

The only entertainment came at the end when the Coyotes players were irate at the officials for missing a debatable hand-pass and also started a mini-brouhaha after the winning goal.

Before that, though, it was mind-numbing.

The Minnesota-Chicago game (a 3-2 shootout victory for the Wild) wasn’t much better.

Usually it takes more than a couple weeks for NHL teams to start clamping down defensively, but the rush to playoff-style has started in earnest already.

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