Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

SCF Winner - It May Come Down To Survival Skills

06/17/2013 at 10:41am EDT

from Rick Morrissey of the Chicago Sun-Times,

Neither team wants you to feel sorry for it. In fact, both teams would prefer not to discuss it. Getting an NHL player to talk about his physical state is like getting a rogue state to talk about labor camps. Part of the code is to not complain about aches and pains, especially this time of year, when the rallying cry is to play, no matter what. Because, you know, it’s the Cup.

Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask said something Sunday that I hadn’t really spent much time considering. A reporter asked him what the strain of a three-overtime game is like for goaltenders compared with skaters.

“You’re standing for five hours,’’ he said. “You’re obviously not making saves all the time, but you’re still standing and being focused. It’s a lot of mental stress, and your legs get tired at some point, too, when you’re standing up for hours.’’

You sort of forgot that simple fact, didn’t you? Goalies don’t get to sit down, except between periods. I tried to think of the last time I stood for hours. Besides at the airport security line. Waitresses are on their feet a lot. But imagine doing that while wearing humongous pads that make you look like a Michelin Man who has let himself go.

The skaters get to sit down. On the other hand, they also can be knocked down, unlike goalies. After the Hawks’ first-period domination in Game 2, the Bruins put some big hits on them, and it made a difference. Pain tends to speed up the tiring process, as any boxer will tell you. The Bruins believe their forecheck started to wear down the Hawks.

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Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

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