Photo Credit: Gene J. Puskar/AP
Tampa Bay’s star goalie Ben Bishop went down to the ice, and exited on a stretcher. In the first period of game 1 against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference finals. The goalie was brought off the ice and said to have suffered a lower leg injury. Following the game, it was said that Bishop’s injury was not overly serious, but he has yet to return to the ice and has missed two games so far. Despite not taking the ice for any playoff hockey, Bishop has been working towards returning and has been working on his play.
Lightning coach John Cooper has been optimistic about Bishop’s return and has said that he, and the team, is hopeful that the goalie will return this round to face the Penguins again. When Bishop exited the first game, back-up goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy took over and the Lightning won the first game 3-1. Despite Vasilevskiy’s good play, the Lightning fell to the Penguins in the next two games, letting the Penguins take a lead in the series 2-1.
Game 2, on May 16th, ended with a Pens 3-2 win in overtime. The Lightning played a strong game and kept it even until Pens captain Sidney Crosby beat Vasilevskiy in overtime. Game 3 ended in a 4-2 Pens win where, despite hard efforts from Tampa Bay, they were able to end the game on top. After game 3, the team praised Vasilesvskiy’s good play and how well he has played for them in such circumstances. So far he has made 115 of 123 saves since filling in for Bishop. Despite the 21-year-old’s limited playoff experience, especially when it comes to starting a game, he has shown that he has what it takes to make the important saves.
Even with his great play in the last few games, the rest of the team needs to put their best play forward because they simply cannot put as much pressure or reliance on Vasilevskiy as they sometimes do on Bishop. Bishop and captain Steven Stamkos, who has been long sidelined with a blood clot, both skated with the team for practice on Thursday morning. Bishop, who skated on his own prior to practice, returned for the group practice later in the morning while Stamkos practice with the team in their usual white jersey, meaning he has been cleared for contact.
The team has been optimistic that Bishop will return this round, and that their captain will make his playoff debut as well. Stamkos’ return has been highly anticipated even more so once it became known that he began to practice and travel with the team. Despite the progress they have both made, it is still unknown as to when they will return and if it could be as soon as game 4. The Lightning will face the Penguins again on Friday, May 20, in Tampa Bay at Amalie Arena at 8:00 PM EST.
