Ben Bishop

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


image_size =
team = St. Louis Blues
former_teams = University of Maine Black Bears
league = NHL
position = Goaltender
catches = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 7
weight_lb = 217
nickname = Big Ben
nationality = USA
birth_date = birth date and age|1986|11|21
birth_place = Des Peres, MO, U.S.
draft = 85th overall
draft_year = 2005
draft_team = St. Louis Blues
career_start = 3/11/08

Ben Bishop (born November 21, 1986, in Des Peres, Missouri) is a goaltender for the Peoria Rivermen of the American Hockey League. He is a National Hockey League prospect in the St. Louis Blues organization.

Playing career

Bishop played for the Texas Tornado of North American Hockey League during the 2004–2005 season. He appeared in 45 games and posted a league-best record of 35 wins, 8 loses, with 5 shutouts. His goals against average of 1.93 was second in the league. Most notably, he led the Texas Tornado to their second consecutive National Championship and Gold Cup, given to the best junior A hockey team in North America. Bishop was named to the first team of the NAHL All-Rookie Team at the end of the season.

As a freshman for the University of Maine during the 2005–2006 season, Bishop delivered. Bishop finished the regular season with a record of 21 wins, 8 loses and 2 ties, and a 2.28 goals against average. In October 2005 and February 2006 he was awarded Rookie of the Month as well as Goaltender of the Month by Hockey East. He was also named Rookie of the Week four separate times. Bishop led the Black Bears to the 2006 Frozen Four, losing to the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the semifinals despite playing strongly. He led the Black Bears to the Frozen Four once again in 2007, but lost to Michigan State University, in the semi-finals 4–2. As a junior in the 2007–2008 NCAA Men's Division 1 hockey competition, Bishop played behind a less than stellar team, but he had a stellar season, as he posted a 2.43 GAA with a .920 save percentage.

Bishop was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the third round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, 85th overall and is now one of their top prospects. It was announced on 11, March 2008 that Ben Bishop had signed with the St. Louis Blues, and will be with Peoria for the remainder of the AHL season. In five games in 2008 with Peoria he posted a 2.38 GAA, as well as receiving a fighting major in his second career game.

His college roommate at UMaine was Kevin Ryan.

Awards and achievements

*Won 2005 NAHL National Championship
*Winning goaltender in 2005 NAHL All-Star Game
*Named to first All-Rookie NAHL team, 2004–05
*Named Texas Tornado Rookie of the Year, 2004–05
*Hockey East Rookie of the Week four times during 2005–06
*Hockey East Rookie of the Month in October 2005 and February 2006
*Named to NCAA All Regional Team in Albany 2006
*Inside College Hockey Player of the Month in October 2006
*Hockey East Player and Goaltender of the Month in October 2006
*Named to Florida Classic All Tournament Team in 2007
*Named to NCAA All Regional Team in Rochester in 2007
*Hockey East Goaltender of the Month in October 2007
*Named to Second Team All Hockey East 2008

External links

*Bishop's profile at the official [http://goblackbears.cstv.com/sports/m-hockey/mtt/bishop_ben00.html UMaine Black Bears site]