You gotta want it, right? That’s what they always say, “they” being the NHL players who dare tread into the lawless border between slot and crease, the coaches who send them there, and the fans in the 300-level relentlessly calling for blood. It’s about desire. It’s about a willingness to take the punishment, and an eagerness to dole it out. It’s about fearlessness and an almost wanton disregard for life and limb. That’s where the pain is, yes — the cross-checks to the back of the head, the slashes to the ankles, the elbows to the gut — but that’s also where the goals are. They’re called the scoring areas for a reason. They’re called the dirty areas for a reason, too. Pay the price, reap the reward. A red light is worth a black-and-blue every single time.
It’s also about getting there first, to stand still while the play is developing. Better to be the guy trying to stand still than the guy trying to move the guy trying to stand still. Anticipate the play, get into position, jam those skates into the ice, get a strong and wide base, and dare the other guy to dislodge you.
Getting there first is key, too. The defensemen have to pick their battles. Or more accurately, when to battle. Just because a forward is in front of the crease doesn’t mean it’s time to start jockeying for position. As a defenseman, you have to conserve energy for when you truly need it. So if the puck is wedged between a slew of skates and sticks in the corner, you merely keep an eye, not your whole body, on that forward lurking in the goal mouth. Otherwise, you’ll tire yourself out before the real fight begins.
Savvy forwards can take advantage of the clutter and get away with bending the rules, too. Richardson pointed to a game last February in which Edmonton’s Corey Perry flat-out slashed the stick out of the hands of Anaheim goalie John Gibson, leading directly to an Evander Kane goal. The rules can be very different for a young guy versus a crafty veteran.
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