SAN JOSE, Calif. — It wasn’t more than 20 seconds into this playoff series and Timo Meier felt enough time had passed. He came barreling down the ice, head up, taking aim, crashing into a net occupied by Marc-Andre Fleury.
There would be no goal scored, but there was a message sent.
San Jose has come to play in this best-of-seven Western Conference affair with the Golden Knights, and whichever team survives to advance will do so with plenty of black and blue to show for it.
This was a physical beginning to things. More hits — a lot more — to come.