'Sloppy' hockey is the name of the game early in NHL season

'Sloppy' hockey is the name of the game early in NHL season

Sloppy is the term being used all over the NHL to describe play in the first two weeks of the season. After no exhibition games -- and no action at all for seven teams in the past 10 months -- there have been plenty of odd-man rushes and mistakes, with six goals a game being scored on average.

'Sloppy' hockey is the name of the game early in NHL season

After no exhibition games - and no action at all for seven teams in the past 10 months - there have been plenty of odd-man rushes and mistakes, with six goals a game being scored on average.

'Sloppy' hockey is the name of the game early in NHL season

With an outbreak delaying the Dallas Stars opener, Rick Bowness got to watch a lot of hockey in the first couple of nights of the NHL season. It wasn't a coach's dream.

'Sloppy' hockey is the name of the game early in NHL season

No exhibition games and for some teams no action at all for 10 months has made for a sloppy start to the NHL season

'Sloppy' hockey is the name of the game early in NHL season

With an outbreak delaying the Dallas Stars opener, Rick Bowness got to watch a lot of hockey in the first couple of nights of the NHL season. It wasn’t a coach’s dream.“It was entertaining hockey, but it was a little sloppy,” Bowness said. “And that’s to be expected.”Sloppy is the term being used all over the league to describe play in the first two weeks of the season. After no exhibition games — and no action at all for seven teams in the past…

'Sloppy' hockey is the name of the game early in NHL season

No exhibition games and for some teams no action at all for 10 months has made for a sloppy start to the NHL season. It’s plenty entertaining with all the odd-man rushes and goals, even if the hockey resembles junior or college games more than the pros. Teams have shuffled their lineups more early because of injuries and protocols. That has led to less continuity and more mistakes and penalties all over the ice. But goaltenders have also stepped…