Goalie Ben Bishop talks loss to Kings and challenges vs. Pacific

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender Ben Bishop hasn’t had much success against the Kings.  With Tuesday night’s loss in LA, he’s now managed only one win in four tries and sports a .885 save percentage for his efforts.

Here’s what he had to share when we caught up with him after the game…

On playing against the Kings:

“The first game I ever played in the NHL was against these guys [ed. note: and the interesting back-story is discussed here], so that’s obviously a good memory. We know we would have liked to play a lot better tonight. We can’t give them that type of lead and then try to come back from that, it’s not going to happen. They’re a good team over there and if we don’t play our game that’s what is going to happen.”

On the road trip to California being tough on NHL teams now:

“It’s not even these three games. It’s the four: Phoenix, LA, San Jose and Anaheim. They’re the top four teams, I think, in this division – or close to it. They’re all good teams. That’s the league this year, there is so much parity that anyone can win on any given night. So if you don’t come with your best, you’re going to lose.”

On the Kings seeking redemption for their loss in Tampa last month:

“Absolutely. We beat them earlier this year, and going back in this building, we expected their best and we got it. We weren’t playing our best and that’s what happened.”

On the impact of the Kings’ short-handed goal:

“It’s huge. We gave up two power play goals and one short-handed goal. That’s the difference in the game. Three goals.”

On the team’s upbeat practice not translating into tonight’s game:

“I thought the first ten minutes we played great. We were getting pucks deep, we were playing well. They get a lucky bounce there at the end of the first, they get a lucky bounce at the beginning of the second. It’s kind of like, what’s going to happen? We got a big kill there and then we let them right back in with a short-handed goal, which is unacceptable.  We have to play better. We can’t expect to win games if we aren’t playing our best against teams like this. They’re good teams out here and if we aren’t playing our best, that’s what is going to happen.”

On his view of the Kings’ short-handed goal:

“It was coming off the boards, and I’m trying to make sure I can play it when it’s in the trapezoid. I kind of have my back to the guy coming in, and I either have to go to the right or the left – I’m not going to just eat it. I went on my forehand and nobody went over there.”

For more post-game quotes, please see the links below.

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