from Mark Spector of Sportsnet,

As an old scout once said, “Son, big and good beats small and good every time.”

“No,” corrected Ken Hitchcock, the St. Louis Blues head coach. “Big and quick is better than small and quick. Big players are irrelevant in today’s game if you can’t skate.”

A lot of people thought the new rules would open the game up again to the small skilled player, and to an extent it has. Unforeseen, however, was the ability of the larger bodies like L.A.’s Dwight King or Brian Boyle in New York to get up to speed.

Couple that with crushing defensive systems, and we’re back to the same 2-1 playoff hockey — most nights — that led the NHL to remake its game back in 2005.

Combined scoring fell below 4.00 in the average playoff game in 2003-04. It’s been relatively steady at 5.2 goals per game ever since, but on Sunday there were nine goals scored — total — in three hockey games.

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