[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by PeteMoss

I think this is a bias that big guys face throughout the NHL. People see a 6'5 guy and want them to throw people around and just pound everyone into submission. Its the reason why Joe Thornton gets so much grief even though he's spent his career turning guys like Cheechoo and Setoguchi into 30/40/50 goal guys and has pretty much been the only guy beside Crosby in the NHL in the past ten years who can turn virtually any linemate he has into a scoring machine.

On Monahan's second goal he battled with two guys behind the net for the puck... he won the battle to move it over to Hudler and led to the goal. If that isn't using his size I'm not sure what is.

Originally Posted by timbit

Getting to the puck first, protecting the puck, winning puck battles and overall puck possession which lead to big OZ time are huge factors in winning hockey games....if you have extraordinary goaltending, which the Flames have enjoyed this season, that is a bonus.

The players and teams that are doing a lot of the hitting don't have the puck much. They spend a lot of time chasing and arriving second.

True Grit is getting to the puck first....not being there second and landing a hit, after the opponent has gained possession and puck control.

Not rocket science.

Great posts... this is why IMO Colborne is a top 6 winger. I think guys like David Moss or Tomas Holmstrom as well.