Blues' goaltending issues compounded by Bishop's success - STLtoday.com
Drafted by his hometown team and groomed by the club’s top minor-league affiliate before being traded, Bishop is backstopping the Lightning in this year’s Eastern Conference finals against the New York Rangers. In a postseason in which the Blues turned away from starting goalie Brian Elliott and watched prospect Jake Allen ultimately unravel in his first taste of the playoff spotlight, the 6-foot-7 former Chaminade Prep student Bishop is starring... In Game 1 Saturday at Madison Square Garden, Bishop was sensational at times, making 28 saves before giving up a tough-luck, game-winning goal in a 2-1 loss to New York with 2 minutes, 25 seconds remaining in regulation. It was Bishop’s first career loss to the Rangers in nine decisions, and it was the seventh time in his past eight postseason starts that he has allowed two goals or fewer. “It’s just a byproduct of what we’ve watched for two years,’’ Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper told reporters. But the only reason we were in the playoffs — well, I shouldn’t say the only reason, but a big reason — was because of Ben. It’s a story that was supposed to see Bishop one day help his hometown team hoist its first Stanley Cup, not lead Tampa Bay, which broke into the NHL as an expansion franchise in 1992-93, to Cup No. 2. The Blues, behind former general manager... Source: www.stltoday.com
