Lightning G Ben Bishop haunts Senators, records franchise-record 31st win

Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender and Vezina trophy front-runner Ben Bishop supplanted Nikolai Khabibulin as the Bolt's leader in single-season wins by shutting out the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night.

Not only will the accomplishment force a re-write of the Lightning record books, but it also provides further data to suggest that his acquisition from the Ottawa Senators at the trade deadline last season was a swindling of unparalleled proportion. 

The 27-year-old from Denver, Colo. now ranks fourth or better among his NHL peers in wins (31), goals against average (2.10), save percentage (.929), and shutouts (5) in his first full season with the Bolts.  

Bishop has shocked the Lightning into the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race - all while haunting his former club.

To put it lightly, Yzerman fleeced the Senators. He paid the price of a fourth-round pick and forward Cory Conacher -- who was recently released and scraped off the bottom of the waiver barrel by the hapless Buffalo Sabres last week -- to acquire a franchise goalie. 

But what makes matters worse for Ottawa, who saw a three-goal lead in Montreal evaporate in the final four minutes last night, is the reality that their once-stable last line of defense ranks third-to-last in the NHL in goals against, allowing 3.21 per contest.