To be honest John, I don't mind the safety net, maybe coming from a sports background, I'm used to seeing all these bits & pieces.
I like the BW from this set, the grittiness of this game to me tends to lend itself to a BW perhaps even lower vibrancy processing.
My thought is suggestion would be to follow up on the already suggested idea of being behind the goal, but I would add the idea of being at ground level, but with a very wide angle even fish eye lens. I think then the safety net would be part of the scene.
Either that or put the extender on & go for as tight as you can reach on their faces..sort of either extreme, if that makes sense.
Of the 2 I think a confined small stadium indoors, the wide angle with other players (& crowd) in the background of the scene, would work best. (She says never having even seen a game in this sport, but I'm comparing arenas of competition, for which I hope you'll forgive my ignorance of ice hockey)