Playoff physicality creeps into crease to impact goaltenders

The physicality of the NHL playoffs is creeping into the crease.

There has already been a huge goal disallowed due to goaltender interference, a starting goalie was knocked out of a game after taking a shot to the head and one rookie netminder confronted an opposing star forward over unwanted contact.

“I think definitely when the puck’s there and you’re trying to score goals, guys are going to the net, that’s how you score goals,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday. “There’s going to be that. I’m assuming you’re going to see more of that kind of stuff.

“It’s the other stuff that you’re probably trying to not have in the game — the extra stuff with the contact with the goalies. But it’s playoff hockey and there’s a lot of emotion and certainly a lot of physical element to it.”

Players generally aren’t allowed to make contact with a goaltender, particularly as the goaltender attempts to move within the crease to stop a puck in play. That can lead to officials calling goaltender interference, which can result in a 2-minute minor penalty or a disallowed goal.

Still, there’s a degree of subjectivity when it comes to deciding deciding what is permitted as “incidental” and how much contact is too much.

Throw in the fact that offenses are rolling with aggressive play — especially when it comes to getting traffic in front of the net for “dirty” goals like deflections or rebounds — and it’s easy to see why goaltenders are being bumped and jostled.

Brind’Amour has seen it up close entering Friday’s trip to Boston. Already down No. 1 goaltender Frederik Andersen due to injury, the Hurricanes lost starter Antti Raanta in the first period of Wednesday’s Game 2 win after the Bruins’ David Pastrnak struck him in the head with