While the Tampa Bay Lightning squared off against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final on Friday night, there was some commotion on social media.
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Tampa Bay was able to play great against the Penguins with Vasilevskiy in net and now they will have to rely on him again as it has been reported by NHL.com that Ben Bishop is unlikely to play in Game 2 on Monday night.
“Everything’s been really good so far with Ben”, Cooper said. “Much better news than the scene we saw, what happened when he was carted off”.
Tampa Bay goaltender Ben Bishop is considered questionable after leaving Game 1 on a stretcher due to a leg injury, which is one of the reasons Pittsburgh is a -200 favorite (bet $200 to win $100) for Monday at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark as the team tries to even the series.
The Lightning have declined to reveal what Bishop’s injury is but did say that X-rays were negative and an MRI exam revealed no structural damage.
The meeting between two of the quickest teams in the league was supposed to play in stark contrast to Pittsburgh’s physical six-game series with Washington. Then, late in the third period, Palat would send Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin into the boards behind the Pittsburgh net. Johnson left the game to get evaluated, but did return to action in the second period.
If Bishop is out for any length of time, the Lightning will rely on the tandem of Vasilevskiy and Kristers Gudlevskis in goal. Pressed on if Callahan deserved supplemental discipline outside of the five-minute major he received for nudging a vulnerable Letang into harm’s way, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan offered only “the NHL’s going to do their job, we’re going to do ours”.
“I have to take out my glove and helmet, just play in the game”, Vasilevskiy said.
I love Tavares, living on Long Island as I do and having watched him since he was drafted, and his performance against the Florida Panthers showed just what kind of leader he can be. “But going out there and playing hockey is different than just walking around”.
“We’re comfortable with him”, Boyle said.
Elias also notes that this is the first time that two goalies under the age of 22 both were credited in the decision in a postseason game since Patrick Roy defeated Bill Ranford in Game 4 of the 1987 Adams Division semifinals.
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING: Vasilevskiy stopped 25 of the 26 shots he faced after replacing Bishop and the team has total confidence in the 21-year-old Russian’s readiness to take over whenever he is needed.
Enter Vasilevskiy, still more than two months away from his 22nd birthday. As you can imagine, this did not go over well with Tampa Bay Lightning fans. Bishop was injured on the play when he fell backward and landed awkwardly.
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The Lightning and Penguins met in Pittsburgh for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final. Stralman, who is dealing with a fractured left leg, skated on Friday morning and is nearing a return….
