All quiet on Bishop
Lightning mum on goalie’s status for Game 4
Asked, won’t tell. That has been the Lightning’s company line in regard to goalie Ben Bishop’s topsecret health status.
Asked, won’t dwell. That has been the Blackhawks’ response to the Lightning’s response.
Two days after twice being pulled during the third period, Bishop started, finished and never left the ice while making 36 saves Monday during a 3-2 victory in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final at the United Center. Earlier in the day, Bishop and Lightning coach Jon Cooper had remained steadfastly coy about the 6-foot-7 goalie’s status.
Nothing changed Tuesday, a day after Bishop looked wobbly at times but held up enough to help his team take a 2-1 series lead.
“Was he in pain?” Brian Boyle asked while grinning at teammate Brenden Morrow.
Cooper insisted Bishop would’t be used as a pawn and he wasn’t ready to comment about his goalie’s status for Game 4 on Wednesday.
“Actually, I haven’t seen Ben today, so I don’t know,” Cooper said Tuesday morning. “I trust our trainers. You don’t want guys to play injured. If they’re out there, they have the ability to play.”
What the Hawks saw Monday was a vulnerable goalie of whom they did not take advantage. Coach Joel Quenneville said after the game that Bishop “looks like he’s got some issues.”
“I wasn’t paying attention to it as much,” Hawks defenseman Brent Sea- brook said. “I don’t know if I just didn’t see it or what.”
Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman, 24, had what Cooper called a “monster” game and a “coming-out party.” He helped set up Ryan Callahan for a 1-0 lead and assisted on Cedric Paquette’s winning goal in the third period.
Hedman played a teamhigh 26 minutes, 6 seconds, often matching up against the Hawks’ top lines.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a coming-out party,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. “That phrase is used because of the stage we are on. People finally get to see Victor (nationally). We see him every day. It’s
not a surprise to us.”
Hawks defenseman Johnny Oduya played just 16:47 Monday, almost eight minutes fewer than his average of 24:45. He left the bench during the second period with an upper-body injury and played sparingly in the third.
Quenneville said Oduya “looked all right” Tuesday but would be reassessed Wednesday.