Mark Recchi built his Hall of Fame career playing in the dirty areas. He won three Stanley Cup championships while taking a beating in front of the net and in the corners. Teammates and opponents, alike, respected him for his willingness to sacrifice his 5-foot-10, 195-pound frame for the betterment of the team.
Ah, the dirty areas. You hear that description all the time in hockey discussions. But what does it actually take to play that style? What type of DNA does a player need to possess in order to be successful in that role?
“You’ve got to be willing to go there, No. 1,” Recchi said. “It’s not an easy spot to go to and it continues to get harder and harder as teams defend even better and players are faster. It’s a mindset to be willing to go there and pay a price. I don’t think you pay a price as much as we did when I first started; you could get cross-checked, two-handers and now you can’t do that, but players are quicker and take up more space.”
The Stanley Cup playoffs are a different beast than the regular season. Most goals are scored within a few feet of the crease. It could mean the difference between winning and losing.
“That’s where your goals are scored,” said veteran Brian Gionta. “Those pretty plays don’t happen as much. There’s not as much time and space out there, so those second and third opportunities, those kinds of plays will win you series. You’re rewarded once you score. You take a beating but that’s part of the business. That’s part of getting there and part of being that type of guy.”
David Backes ca$hin' in the loose change! ? pic.twitter.com/hoW3ATRaAB
— NHL on NBC (@NHLonNBCSports) April 13, 2018