Lightning lose Filppula to fractured ankle; Bishop hurt, too

As if the Tampa Bay Lightning need any more discouraging news...

On the heels of Wednesday's announcement that star forward Steven Stamkos will not be suiting up for the Lightning, nor will he be participating in the Sochi Games for Team Canada, comes news that Goalie Ben Bishop and centerman Valtteri Filppula have each suffered injuries that will carry into the Olympic break - and in Filppula's case, perhaps beyond.

Bishop left after the second period of Thursday night's 4-1 loss to the white-hot Toronto Maple Leafs with an upper-body injury and will most likely be held out of Saturday's match against the Detroit Red Wings, essentially allowing three weeks recovery time for whatever it is that's ailing him...

Filppula (AP file photo)

...but three weeks may not be enough time for Filppula, who has suffered a fractured ankle.  The news is doubly distressing for the veteran forward, who was scheduled to participate for his home country of Finland in the Sochi Olympics.  The time table given for his recovery is three weeks.

Filppula has 41 points in 56 games for the Lightning, garnered on 20 goals and 21 dimes, a distant second on the team to Martin St. Louis' 56 points, but still an impressive number.  His injury will be re-evaluated when play re-commences at the end of February.

Bishop has been stellar between the pipes this season, sporting a record of 28-8-4 with four shut outs and an impressive stat line of 1.97 goals against average coupled with a .933 save percentage.

Despite the play of these two, the Lightning are mired in a scoring funk - losers of four of their last five, Tampa Bay has not scored more than three goals in a game during that time, sliding seven points behind Atlantic Division leading Boston, their 69 points just one better than third place Montreal.

The Lightning should actually thank their lucky stars that the break is upon them, because losing two key contributors like Bishop and Filppula for any amount of games could sink them further into their slump.

 http://www.sportsinjuryalert.com/2014/02/lightning-lose-filppula-to-fractured.html#.UvVMp7Qcq58