Lightning's Palat questionable for Game 2, Bolts don’t expect Bishop back ‘anytime soon’

Doesn’t sound like Tampa Bay is getting any positive developments on the health front. Following a Game 1 loss to Montreal in which Ben Bishop didn’t dress and Ondrej Palat left midway due to injury, Lightning head coach Jon Cooper didn’t offer much in the way of optimism.

Palat, the team’s second-leading scorer this year and likely Calder Trophy finalist, got tangled with PK Subban during Wednesday’s 5-4 OT loss and didn’t play at all in the third period or extra session. Palat didn’t practice on Thursday, and his spot on the top line was filled by Alex Killorn.

As for Bishop, it’s becoming increasingly unlikely he’ll be able to return to the Bolts lineup this series, though Cooper didn’t rule out a possible comeback should it be extended. While the club would surely love to have Bishop available, goaltending wasn’t a major issue last night — Anders Lindback did surrended five goals, but also was the busier of the two netminders and stopped 39 of 44 shots.

“He gave up five goals so people will say he gave up five goals but we put him in a tough spot a lot,” Cooper said, per the Tampa Tribune. “We have to be better than that, if you are going to go there and say that Lindback cost us the game, don’t.”