Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Goalie Nods: Ben Bishop expected to start for Kings against Canucks

Los Angeles Kings v Minnesota Wild

ST PAUL, MN - FEBRUARY 27: Ben Bishop #31 of the Los Angeles Kings warms up in net before the game against the Minnesota Wild on February 27, 2017 at Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)

Getty Images

When the Los Angeles Kings acquired Ben Bishop from the Tampa Bay Lightning they said they wanted a situation where they could have a No. 1 goaltender in their net every single night, whether it be him or Jonathan Quick. After Quick backstopped the Kings to a come-from-behind shootout win against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday, thanks to a stunning behind-the-back save in the shootout, it will be Bishop’s turn to take his place in the crease on Saturday against the Vancouver Canucks.

Bishop stopped 28 out of 30 shots in his debut with the Kings this past week and has been on a bit of a roll in recent weeks after a tough start to the season.

Going back to his time with Tampa Bay just before the trade, Bishop has allowed just seven goals in his past six starts, and never more than two during that stretch. He has a .949 save percentage in those games.

The Kings enter the game with points in four consecutive games and own a one-point lead over the St. Louis Blues for the second wild card spot in the Western Conference.

The Canucks will go with Ryan Miller as he looks to snap a personal four-game losing streak.

Elsewhere on Saturday...

-- The Colorado Avalanche and Winnipeg Jets did not announce their starters for Saturday’s game.

-- Craig Anderson is in net for the Ottawa Senators when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets. No word yet from the Blue Jackets for their starter but look for Sergei Bobrovsky.

-- With Roberto Luongo sidelined James Reimer goes for the Florida Panthers when they host the Dallas Stars. Reimer has been playing great in recent weeks and looks to keep it going against Kari Lehtonen.

-- The Lightning look to bounce back from a 5-2 loss in Pittsburgh on Friday and will be going with Andrei Vasilevskiy against the Buffalo Sabres. The Sabres are starting Robin Lehner.

-- No word from the Rangers and Canadiens but it would be a stunner if Carey Price and Henrik Lundqvist were not between the pipes for their respective teams.

-- Anton Khudobin goes for just his fourth win of the season when the Boston Bruins turn to him against Cory Schneider and the New Jersey Devils.

-- After stopping 39 out of 40 shots on Thursday Steve Mason is back in net for the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday when they visit the Washington Capitals. It will of course be Braden Holtby in net for the NHL leading Capitals.

-- Jusse Saros starts for the Nashville Predators when they host the Chicago Blackhawks. No word yet from the Blackhawks on who gets the call. Corey Crawford started on Friday and with Scott Darling sidelined he might get both ends of the back-to-back.

-- Petr Mrazek is in for the Detroit Red Wings when they visit the Edmonton Oilers, who will naturally be going back to Cam Talbot for his league-leading 58th start of the season. This is already a new career high for him in terms of appearances.