The physicality of the NHL playoffs is creeping into the crease.

There has already been a huge goal disallowed due to goaltender interference, a starting goalie was knocked out of a game after taking a shot to the head and one rookie netminder confronted an opposing star forward over unwanted contact.

“I think definitely when the puck’s there and you’re trying to score goals, guys are going to the net, that’s how you score goals,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday. “There’s going to be that. I’m assuming you’re going to see more of that kind of stuff.

“It’s the other stuff that you’re probably trying to not have in the game — the extra stuff with the contact with the goalies. But it’s playoff hockey and there’s a lot of emotion and certainly a lot of physical element to it.”

Players generally aren’t allowed to make contact with a goaltender, particularly as the goaltender attempts to move within the crease to stop a puck in play. That can lead to officials calling goaltender interference, which can result in a 2-minute minor penalty or a disallowed goal.

Still, there’s a degree of subjectivity when it comes to deciding what is permitted as “incidental” and how much contact is too much.

Throw in the fact that offenses are rolling with aggressive play — especially when it comes to getting traffic in front of the net for “dirty” goals like deflections or rebounds — and it’s easy to see why goaltenders are being bumped and jostled.

HURRICANES

at BRUINS,

Carolina leads series 2-0 (7 p.m. EDT, TNT)

Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said Thursday the team won’t have defenseman Hampus Lindholm. He was knocked from Wednesday’s game in the second period on Andrei Svechnikov’s jarring shoulder-to-chest blast, which left him wobbly as he was helped to the locker room.

Additionally, Cassidy plans to give goaltender Jeremy Swayman his first postseason start after Linus Ullmark allowed four goals in each of the Game 1 and 2 losses.

MAPLE LEAFS at LIGHTNING, series tied 1-1 (7:30 p.m. EDT, TBS)

The two-time reigning Stanley Cup champion Lightning won Game 2 to improve to 16-0 in outings following a playoff loss over the past three postseasons.

Now it’s Toronto’s time to respond.

“When our team has been challenged, we’ve responded very well. So, we know what we’re in for now,” Maple Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said Thursday.

WILD at BLUES,

series tied 1-1

(9:30 p.m. EDT, TNT)

The Blues return home dealing with some defensive discomfort.

Robert Bortuzzo took a puck to the face and departed the Game 2 loss in the first period. Nick Leddy was held out of Game 2 with an upper-body injury he suffered and played through in Game 1. Marco Scandella has yet to play with a lower-body injury.

The Wild will try to win in St. Louis for the first time since Nov. 11, 2018.

OILERS at KINGS,

series tied 1-1

(10 p.m. EDT, TBS)

Edmonton has the clear edge on the power play so far. The Oilers are 4 of 8 through two games, scoring a pair of goals with the man advantage in each.

By comparison, the Kings have come up empty on all eight of their power plays through two games. And going back into the regular season, Los Angeles has converted on 3 of 36 power plays (8.3%) in its last 12 games.