Hits, blocked shots, sticks to the face, and even a measly broken finger (al la Matt Walker) sometimes finds itself among the expected in the NHL, but then there are those that take it to a whole new level.  It is those players that really shine during playoff time.  They are the one’s whose extra sacrifices of the body become noticeable.  What was once a small part of the game, in the playoffs, becomes the ultimate game.  Yes, it is the ultimate game of sacrifice.

So who do you want on your team?  Any one of Matt Greene, Stephan Robidas, Brooks Laich, Andrei Meszaros, or Mathieu Dandenault would be just fine by me.

While most would like to talk about the Crosby’s and Ovechkin’s or the NHL (and I wouldn’t mind having these guys either, just to clarify), it is the grinders that make the difference in the playoffs.  Only a certain breed have what it takes to put their bodies on the line.  The five players mentioned above are part of that breed, and here’s the video to prove it.

TSN gets a good replay of the incident, but the best part of all is the reaction of the two ladies behind the glass when they see Walker’s finger.  You think chicks really dig scars?  Best part of it all.  He came back and finished the game.

That was the kind of effort the Blackhawks needed and got, taking the crucial game 5 by a score of 5-1.  They now head back to Calgary for game six hoping to avoid a return trip home for a game seven.

Heres the clip of the finger and the reaction.