The Bernstein Brief: Don't Lose To An Injured Goalie
By Dan Bernstein--
CBSChicago.com senior columnist
(CBS) I would have taken that bet, which is why I don't bet.
Third game of the Stanley Cup Final, at home, and the opposing goalie is obviously injured -- struggling to pad up from his butterfly and push off with his right leg when sliding. Lightning goalie Ben Bishop was spitting out tantalizing rebounds early on Monday night, too, just begging to be put out of his misery.
How do the Blackhawks lose to that?
A physically limited goaltender should be meat on the bone for a champion, digging pucks out of his net until the coach is forced to replace him. I thought Bishop was done after the first period, seeing the extent to which he was laboring, but Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper stuck with him and the Lightning stole a 3-2 win at the United Center to take a 2-1 series lead.
Nobody will say what is wrong with Bishop, because hockey. But something significant is ailing the Lightning's most important player at the biggest time, and if they keep choosing to play somebody who's hurt, the Hawks have to make that matter.
Dan Bernstein is a co-host of 670 The Score's "Boers and Bernstein Show" in afternoon drive. Follow him on Twitter @dan_bernstein and read more of his columns here.
