Judging games on performance rather than wins and losses

Sounds like the SJ Sharks, who've won an NHL-leading 25 games this season, have borrowed one of John Wooden's core principles:  "Focus on effort, not winning."

After a rare recent loss to Columbus, in which SJ outshot the Blue Jackets, 48-32, Sharks center Joe Thornton (pictured here) said he was pleased with his team's play, despite the outcome:

"We said from the start of the year, we're not going to judge the games on wins and losses. We're going to judge them on how we played and I think we played well."