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Host, TSN The Reporters with Dave Hodge

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There are two sides to the injury front in the NHL. It’s all about timing.

How often have you heard a player say “It’s a bad injury, sure, but better now than later in the season, or in the playoffs”?

“Thumbs up” to exhibit A — Logan Couture of the San Jose Sharks. Early in the season, he suffered a broken leg in a practice. He missed a total of 30 games, and as a result, the Sharks’ second-leading scorer in 2014-15 saw seven teammates outscore him this year.

Then came the playoffs, and a healthy Couture has done more than make up for lost time. He leads all playoff scorers with 17 points in 12 games. His 3-0 goal in the opening minute of the second period on Thursday told the Nashville Predators and all who were watching that the Sharks were on their way to the Western Conference final. Never mind almost two more full periods, there would be no comeback after a dagger like that.

Eight of Couture’s 17 points have come on the power play, which provides San Jose with an important edge in the matchup against St. Louis.

It’s awfully hard to pay special attention to him when Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Patrick Marleau and Brent Burns are also tossing the puck around and busting for the net, but it’s Couture who outranks the others with his four goals and four assists while playing with a man advantage. Eleven of his 17 points came in the second round against Nashville and gave him a San Jose record for points in one playoff series.

And if he’s the poster boy for the second chance that comes with the so-called “second season”, he’s not alone. Four St. Louis forwards — Alexander Steen, Paul Stastny, Jaden Schwartz and Patrik Berglund — totalled 122 man games lost during the season. They have combined to score 14 goals in these playoffs.

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Now, Ben Bishop, and the darker and later side of injuries. The towering Tampa Bay goalie is a workhorse in the regular season, one of 10 goalies to play 60 ore more games this year. He did that in the previous two seasons as well.

But he’s no stranger to injuries in the playoffs. He had to watch as Tampa Bay was swept by Montreal in the first round two seasons ago. He is perhaps best known for his determination to play despite limited movement in last season’s Stanley Cup final. A torn groin should have kept him out.

His best-case scenario this time might be to try to play through something worse.  As he was leaving the ice on a stretcher in Pittsburgh last night, it appeared his season was over.

The official word from Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper is that no structural damage was found in Bishop’s ankle/leg. There may be no further word. All we know, or all we are left to guess, is that Bishop will try to play if it’s at all possible.

That has become his calling card. He would much prefer to give up some of those 60-plus regular-season appearances for full health in the playoffs, but you can’t order your injuries. “Thumbs down” to Ben Bishop’s and Tampa Bay’s bad luck. Steven Stamkos and Anton Stralman may be skating, but they can’t play goal.