Circumstances meant he didn’t get immediate gratification, but in the end, that didn’t matter for Clark Bishop on Friday night in Anaheim, Calif.
The 22-year-old from St. John’s scored his first National Hockey League goal to help the Carolina Hurricanes to a 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks, although some time elapsed between when the puck crossed the goal line and when Bishop got to celebrate the milestone.
Early in the second period, Bishop drove to the net carrying the puck on his backhand before colliding with Ducks netminder John Gibson, causing the net to dislodge.
The puck had obviously entered the area where the net would have been, but referees initially ruled no goal. However, the NHL’s Situation Room initiated a review, which showed the puck had completely crossed the goal line before the net came off its moorings.
Even then, Bishop and the Hurricanes had to wait before their rejoicing could begin. Anaheim head coach Randy Carlyle challenged the play, claiming goaltender interference, but the tally stood after it was ruled Bishop had been checked into Gibson by Ducks defenceman Hampus Lindholm.
Only then, was Bishop’s big goal official.
“Not something that I ever pictured — scoring my first NHL goal like that — but they all count, and luckily that one did," Bishop told NHL.com.
It was also the first NHL point for Bishop, who also had an assist later in the contest and was named the game’s first star.
It all happened in the 11th NHL games for Bishop, who has been called up by the Hurricanes twice this season from the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League.
He also has four penalty minutes a plus-two rating in his short NHL tenure. With Charlotte, he had three goals and two assists in 12 games.
