As of this writing, the Los Angeles Kings and Winnipeg Jets have only played one period of hockey, yet you’d think it was a full night of action.
The score’s already 3-2 as the Kings stormed back from a 3-0 deficit to make it a game again. Three of those five tallies came on the power play, to boot.
There’s a reason why special teams units have been a factor beyond the efficiency of both team’s power play units, too. Simply put, it’s been a physical game so far; that much was probably most clear when Kyle Clifford caught Anthony Peluso with a controversial hit that caused a ruckus (as the Kings’ website notes):
Dustin Byfuglien has been throwing his big body around as well:
We’ll see if there are more fireworks as this game goes on.
Here’s an idea of how wild the start was, if you stretch the parameters ever so slightly:
This game has had 5 goals and 12 minor penalties in 22 minutes.
— Rich Hammond (@Rich_Hammond) January 11, 2015
Update: The Jets ended up winning 5-4 (shootout) in a contest that was still pretty contentious and exciting as it went on.