NHL’s Whistle Crew Set for Tonight’s Playoff Grind

The league’s officiating assignments are never the sexiest part of the bracket, but they can shape a series faster than a hot power play. This matchup puts the spotlight on the refs and linespersons who will be managing every chirp, every post-whistle scrum, and every coach’s slow burn from the bench. In the playoffs, the game inside the game is real, and the names on the stripes matter more than most fans admit.