Maybe it was funny the first or second time John Tortorella blew off one of his press conferences in under two minutes, but his act is growing tiresome.

His curt and rude answers and utter disdain of the media shouldn't be tolerated by a league that is always trying to sell the game to casual fans.

The next time Tortorella gives one-word answers or doesn't answer questions at all, he should be subjected to a fine.

The main topic of conversation following Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Devils was why Tortorella benched Marian Gaborik for part of the third period.

Tortorella's only response was to say that he "was going to keep it in the room."

Can you imagine what the uproar would be if one of New York's other coaches or managers dismissed the media in such a  manner?

Honestly, Tortorella is acting like a petulant child, and it is remarkable how he gets to play by a different set of rules.

Now, some may suggest that Tortorella's act is a calculated, that it is a way to get the pressure of his team.  Maybe, the man is certainly not stupid.

But while we might have laughed the first couple times, the feeling here is that Tortorella is doing a disservice to the league.

The media has taken to timing Tortorella's press conferences. Wednesday's session lasted 78 seconds.

Then there is the actual benching of Gaborik itself. Since Tortorella wouldn't explain, media can only speculate as to what the reason was, and many have suggested that Gaborik was benched for a turnover that led to New Jersey's second goal late in the second period.

We assume that Tortorella was punishing Gaborik, who didn't return until past the midway point of the third period. Of course, if Gaborik was being punished, why did he return at all and why precisely at the point he did?

Here's the issue: Okay, Gaborik has been struggling but was it wise to keep your top goal scorer on the bench in a one-goal game? The move really could come back to Tortorella

If Gaborik scores two goals Saturday, Tortorella will look like a genious, but the benching is indicative of a bizarre mindset that seems to exist in the NHL.

Remember when Dale Hunter limited Alex Ovechkin's minutes in the previous series because he was considered a defensive liability?

For most NHL coaches, preventing goals has become more important than actually scoring them.

Can you imagine if the Lakers benched Kobe Bryant because he wasn't playing enough defense?  Lakers coach

Mike Brown would be laughed out of the NBA.