QUEBEC CITY. P.Q. – A veteran in his third year with Peoria, Marek Schwartz is the one the organization counts on to be the number one netminder with the Rivermen this year. He has been tasked with helping the team’s other goaltender, Ben Bishop, in his transition from the college ranks.
After the first 24 games, Bishop, who formerly tended the net in Maine for the Black Bears, had seen action in 14 games while Schwartz skated the crease in the other 10.
Schwartz knows that he can do a much better job when his coach sends him between the pipes. With a save percentage of .866 and a goals against average of 3.56 in 10 games the veteran knows he has to play much better.
The Rivermen head coach, Davis Payne, is the first to acknowledge it.
“Ben had started nine games while Marek got eight and that was a pretty even split in 17 games so it was one of those things where Marek hadn’t been happy with his play. We hadn’t been happy with his play, it’s just been inconsistent,” Payne said. “He got lots of opportunities over the last year and a half to kind of make a statement and see the job as his, and for whatever reasons that hasn’t happened.”
Payne didn’t lose confidence in his veteran netminder as he put him in the net recently against the Chicago Wolves, but he had to pull his starting goalie after he allowed five goals on seventeen shots. Ben Bishop came in relief allowing only one goal on 15 shots in a Peoria’s come from behind 7-6 win.
A first round selection, 17th overall in 2004, the native of Mlada Boleslav in the Czech Republic needs to perform better if he wants to one day wear the Blues’ uniform. With the young Bishop pushing from behind he might run the risk of seeing his chance to play in the NHL passing him by.
“With a young guy like Ben coming in, Schwartz is coming back as a third year pro. This is his opportunity to step up when facing that situation. Whatever the situation is it hasn’t happened to the level we would like or he would like and he wasn’t able to put up more consistent performances. Up until recently we haven’t been happy with either guy.” Rivermen head coach said about his goaltending performance.
Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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