The NHL’s all divisional play with multiple consecutive games between the same teams has started to increase animosity around the league. The Arizona Coyotes and St. Louis Blues are the perfect example of that. They’re four games into seven in a row against each other, and tensions keep rising. Tampa Bay and Nashville weren’t even in the same conference until this season and combined for 60 penalties in back-to-back games. It’s not quite at a playoff level without the Stanley Cup at stake, but players expect the intensity to increase as teams see opponents at least eight times before mid-May.
