2012 NHL Playoffs: Physicality Between the Caps and Bruins Will Continue to Grow

Aside from the 4-3 win that put the Boston Bruins ahead in the series, Game 3 saw a noticeable increase in the physicality between the two teams. The relatively tame back-and-forth hockey that defined the first two games of the series seems to have given way to the growing tension between the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals.

The Bruins have always played a physical game. Captain Zdeno Chara and star forward Milan Lucic are among the NHL’s hardest hitters. Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin is also among the elite when it comes to physicality.

Monday’s game wasn’t just about who hit harder and more often. Yes, the Bruins recorded a series-high 58 hits on the Caps skaters, but there was also a great deal of action that took place between the whistles. So much so that Caps head coach Dale Hunter compared the game to a rugby match.

Take, for example, the skirmish at the end of the first period. No fighting majors were called, but the second period started with two minutes of four-on-four play due to a cross-checking penalty on Nicklas Backstrom and a roughing penalty for Milan Lucic.

The sudden jump in the physicality between the two teams was even more apparent in the penalties in Game 3. The Caps and Bruins combined for a total of 40 penalty minutes in Game 3. Between Games 1 and 2, the two teams only accumulated 28 penalty minutes.

One of the stories coming out of Washington’s loss at home on Monday was that at times they were too preoccupied with trying to be physical with Boston. It almost seemed like the Bruins had gotten under their skin. This contributed to a plethora of unnecessary penalties for the Caps.

While the Bruins still haven’t scored on the man advantage, two of their four goals on Monday came during four-on-four play. Washington’s penalties definitely caught up with them.

To beat the Bruins, the Caps will need to play a physical game. However, they can’t accumulate penalties like they did on Monday and expect any different results. They should obviously play with passion and hit the Bruins just as hard, but they should pick their spots wisely.

I think that adding a seasoned enforcer like defenseman John Erskine back to the lineup is wise. Out of the Caps’ entire roster, Erskine is one of the toughest players. He hits hard and has no problem dropping gloves to stick up for his teammates. I look forward to seeing how adding Erskine back to the lineup for the first time since late February will change the dynamic of Washington’s game.

As the bad blood between the Caps and Bruins continues to grow, the games in this series will only get more intense. Game 3 was the most physical game they’ve played in this whole series, and probably all season. I expect things to only get more heated.