Wild's Spurgeon Stepping Up In Playoffs
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- Jared Spurgeon is experienced enough in the postseason to know it's different this time of year.
"It's fun, very fun. Crowd's into it, it's a bit louder than regular season and just, every play means that much more," he said.
What he's become is a steady, quiet influence, the type you do not like to play against, because he's skilled.
"I think as a defenseman you never want anyone to be looking forward to playing against you," Spurgeon said. "It helps with the team we have. The forwards do a great job coming back for us as defensemen and everyone you play with right now, as well, we have a lot of confidence in each other and building a lot of chemistry."
In so doing he has set an example for his teammates that you can be undersized and still be tough.
"You know you just see bigger guys forechecking him, hitting him, muscling him and you watch that and, you know, a guy like myself, you see a guy his size do that and you're like, well I should have no problem doing that either," Charlie Coyle said. "If he's doing that, he's got that willpower to do that and that work ethic, it should be no problem. He's a leader in that way and we're lucky to have a guy like him back there."
Because you need to move your intensity up when it's playoff time.
"You can't really change the way you've been playing throughout the year, but at the same time you have to step it up a notch," Spurgeon said. "The game speeds up a lot and like I said, every play means that much more, so whether it's blocking a shot or making sure you're good on the backcheck or a good stick is huge now."
