Darling-Bishop connection dates back to college days at Maine

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TAMPA, Fla. – Ben Bishop isn’t taking credit for Scott Darling’s breakout season with the Blackhawks but the Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender will take credit for Darling’s choice of school.

The Blackhawks backup went to the University of Maine, where Bishop played from 2005-08, leading the team to the Frozen Four in 2006 and 2007. Darling, who was at Maine from 2008-10, stayed with Bishop on his campus visit.

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“I recruited him,” Bishop said with a smile. “He’s a good kid, a good kid, good goalie. He came, stayed with me and we had a good time. I guess I did a good job, right, because he came to the school. I was one for one.”

Darling said Maine’s success, fueled in large part by Bishop’s great work while there, did prompt him to choose the school.

“They were one of the top teams in the country, ended up going to the Frozen Four," Darling said. "They lost but still, pretty big accomplishment to be there. It was really exciting to be headed to a school like that. I was thrilled with the whole experience.”  

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Darling said he hasn’t had much time to catch up with Bishop. The two talked briefly when the Blackhawks played here in late February; Darling started in that game.

“Obviously we’ve been on different routes: he went right to success and I took the scenic path He’s really nice guy, super easy to talk to and he was thrilled for me,” said Darling. “It’s cool for the university to have the goaltending success it had with Jimmy Howard and the list goes on, with goalies who have come out of Maine. It’s great to be a part of.”

 

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