CALGARY, ALBERTA • Ben Bishop went into Sunday's game at Calgary not thinking about where he'll be on the Blues' goaltending depth chart today.
The Blues placed Ty Conklin on waivers Saturday but won't learn until 11 a.m. today if he is claimed. If Conklin is picked up, Bishop will be the backup. If no team claims Conklin, the Blues will choose either Bishop or Conklin as the backup, with the other headed to Peoria.
"You can't really pay any attention to that because you have no idea what's going to happen," Bishop said before making his second straight start Sunday. "You just got to go out every day and play the best you can. You can't look into that at all, or else you're going to be distracted and not play well."
With Jaroslav Halak recovering from a bruised hand, the Blues gave Bishop a second straight start Sunday, two days after his shutout of Edmonton. He perhaps showed the Blues the consistency they were seeking from him against Calgary. He held the Flames scoreless through two periods, stretching his shutout streak to five periods, and allowed just one goal on 20 shots in a 1-0 loss.
"The performance against Chicago wasn't the one he wanted, but he responded very well (against Edmonton),'' Blues coach Davis Payne said before the game Sunday. "Part of the challenge of consistency is responding to success as well. He needs to parlay that."
Conklin learned of being put on waivers Saturday, but because his status wouldn't be known until the NHL offices re-opened today, he was the backup Sunday.
"He's been awesome since day one," Bishop said. "You can go up to him and talk to him about anything. He's been in the league for a long time. He's told me multiple times, ‘If you want to talk about anything, let me know.' He's just a great person in general and a great goalie."
Conklin politely declined to comment Sunday.
ELSEWHERE
Blues center Vladimir Sobotka left Sunday's game six minutes into it after being hit in the foot by a slap shot from Calgary's Jarome Iginla. He limped off the ice and didn't return. In other injury news, forward Philip McRae and defenseman Nikita Nikitin (both with a lower-body injury) were not available Sunday. McRae was injured in Thursday's game in Vancouver. Halak went through another individual practice Sunday and is hopeful to be available for Tuesday's game.
• The Blues' eight-game streak with at least one power-play goal ended Sunday.
• NHL rosters are limitless after today's trading deadline.
