A win for the fans is often a win for the league, and this game kept old fans happy and hooked new fans for life. This game is going to generate tons of momentum at the right time for the NHL.
The final leg of the regular season kicks off Wednesday, and intensity will be heightened as bubble playoff teams make their big pushes. Plus, the trade deadline is less than one month away. Plenty of the guys playing in this tournament could be on the move as soon as the Olympic roster freeze ends in a few days.
There were, of course, several injuries to key NHL players throughout the tournament: Kevin Fiala, Josh Morrissey, Mikko Rantanen, and Sidney Crosby among them. But Fiala appears to be the only player out for the season with his broken leg, so all things considered, keeping severe injuries to a minimum bodes well for the NHL.