NHL Teams Embrace the No-Fun Policy

If you think there isn't enough scoring in the NHL, don't blame the goalie equipment, the size of the net, the size of the ice, or any of that other stuff.

Blame the people who run the game. To them, goals are barely tolerable, entertainment is suspicious, and adventure is downright wicked.

The Philadelphia Flyers and San Jose Sharks just finished a two-game set that included 21 goals, two overtimes and a shootout.

While Philly fans didn't like the results, anyone who bought a ticket had to be happy with the thrills and spills on display each night.

But excitement, momentum swings and wild finishes always get bad reviews in the NHL locker room.

"Our goalies can play better," said John Stevens, after the Flyers lost Wednesday's shootout. "Our defense can play better. We can all play better." Okay, you expect that from a coach whose team has allowed the most goals in the NHL.

But they were no happier across the hall.

"We don't want to play like that," said Sharks' captain Patrick Marleau, who had two goals and two assists.

"We've used up one of the nine lives," said coach Todd McLellan, whose team has won six of its first seven games.

Second-year forward Devin Setoguchi has already absorbed his coach-approved talking points, calling the game "sloppy" and potentially "ugly."

Defense has its place, and giving up six goals in 60 minutes is a sure path to destruction. All true.

But is it a stretch to suggest that behind his postgame banalities, Marleau might have been dancing inside? This is a player who was starved for goals last year.

And Setoguchi is just 21 years old. Did he really have such a lousy time Wednesday night, scoring a goal and setting up another one?

Would it kill them all to admit that a 7-6 game might be fun?