The sit-and-wait game continues for backup goalie Jonathan Bernier, who has looked good in practice of late but is sitting behind Jonathan Quick. Quick has allowed two or fewer goals in five consecutive games, and will get the start tomorrow night when the Kings host Minnesota. Bernier? The Kings have back-to-back games next weekend, at Nashville and Chicago, and that would normally be a near-automatic scenario for a backup to get a game. Will Terry Murray make that call? He seemed to be leaning in that direction today, but didn’t totally commit to playing Bernier during the upcoming five-game road trip.
MURRAY: “He’s very close to getting in. He has really worked at his game. He’s totally focused. I know it’s difficult. It’s a big adjustment for him, being that backup guy. He has been the primary goaltender everywhere he has been. I have him right on the foremost fingertip here, to point to and say, `You’re playing tonight.’ It’s close.”
It’s kind of strange that he’s mastered the #1 position at every level before he got to the NHL, but has never mastered the back up role. Just another step towards worldwide domination I guess.
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USHA#17 Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 7:46 pm
@Dominick,
Constantly starting to being a backup is a fairly difficult adjustment.
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Gary L Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 9:11 pm
@Dominick, If we look at it, probably every goalie in the NHL was the star on his team prior to being in the big time. What that tells me is that if a guy wants to stay with the big club, he has to do what it takes to stay in the league. Eventually the top guy is going to have an injury, have a cold streak, or something will come up that gives the backup a shot at being number one. In the meantime the backup has to keep his game at a level that keeps him on the team, or in the big time. Every start is an opportunity and the backup better use that chance to make an impression. There are no excuses at this level. It is put up or shut up. There are lots of talented guys waiting to take the job if you can not adapt to your place on the team.
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Dominick Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 9:55 pm
@Gary L, That’s why I mentioned it. It just seems strange that it took all the way to the NHL, before he was put in this situation. I’m sure he’s probably experienced sitting at some point, just not for long stretches. I think learning how to play as a back up will help him with the big picture when he’s a seasoned veteran, teaching some young player how to break into the league.
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Gary L Reply:
December 10th, 2010 at 10:54 pm
@Dominick, There is no doubt that Bernier has come a long way since he has been in the Kings organization. He certainly had a lot of pressure in being a first round pick who was supposed to be a future star. We have to give him credit in focusing on his game after some reported disappointment in being sent down a couple years ago. He not only became the best goalie on his team, but in the entire league. He had a couple of good games here last year (the last one was not so hot though) and made a good impression. Unfortunately he is behind a guy who has also worked his way up the organization. Quick has taken advantage of his chances. He has proven that he is a quality goal tender, he is a star in his own right. Bernier might be the number one goalie for a lot of NHL teams already if he was in another organization. But for now he has a very big obstacle in front of him. I think that Murray will give him his chances, but the number of games he gets in will be determined by his performance. He needs to be ready to seize the moment.
nofreight Reply:
December 11th, 2010 at 12:18 am
@Gary L, nice post. best ive seen in a while. Such a detailed accurate description of the situation.
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bob Reply:
December 11th, 2010 at 8:21 am
@nofreight,
The biggest reason why Bernier is not getting more starts….QUICK! JQ has played amazing, looks even stronger than he did last year…the biggest reason the Kings have as many wins as they do. LOVE IT
USHA@17 Reply:
December 11th, 2010 at 8:58 am
@Gary L,
Right you are. Most of these guys were superstars in peewee and if they didn’t skip ahead, singlehandedly carried their high school team.
To displace Quick at this point would require a series of remarkable performances. An example would be winning games with little support in front of the net and little offense. Read that as a series of superhuman, single handed efforts.
Its plain to see that the standings are so tight that there is no breathing space to experiment or room to error.
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I hope we just stick with JQ for now, lets get rolling and some points and then tinker with stuff…IMHO….
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welcome to the NHL Bernier, No goalie every gets in without first being a backup. Bernier just hasnt been that great. I love Quick this year even more. He worked on his fitness so he should be fine all season. Also one of Quicks best traits is hes the best when the game is on the line. No overtime losses and the second best save percentage in the NHL in shootouts
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USHA@17 Reply:
December 11th, 2010 at 9:02 am
@jason,
I would like to add that three of the poorer team efforts took place with Bernier in net. Had he stolen at least one of those games (which he succeeded in doing twice last year) we might be seeing a different rotation.
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I see no reason to go Bernier until that back to back. I’d play Bernier against Nashville and Quick against Chicago.
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Unlike most people here, and I might get crucified for this, I don’t have much of a hard on for JB. I’m sure he was great in the minors, but from what I’ve seen from him, which is all the games that he’s played in the NHL, I’m not so impressed. By the way, I do know my hockey.
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Deaderhead28 Reply:
December 11th, 2010 at 7:38 am
@mrk, I agree. I haven’t seen the technically sound keeper everyone talks about. The team even plays less confdently with
him in net. That’s nots to say that it’s too late for him and that he’ll never be a star. He just needs more work and being a backup in the NHL is a great training ground for him. We know he can play in the minors.
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Sancho Reply:
December 11th, 2010 at 8:22 am
@mrk, I hope eventually they become a great one-two punch. Not so much this year so far.
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Pokeys Reply:
December 11th, 2010 at 9:05 am
@Sancho, I think your right. It appears this is a mental thing, where he is pouting for not starting Probably just to his young age. Hopefully he grows out of it.
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Carrot at the end of the tunnel for you, Bernie!
BTW, is there a know-my-hockey inquisition around here? I hope I can keep my card if I like him.
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Bernier will get his chances as the team moves forward. It is up to him to cease the opportunity. I don’t hear coaches talking about Karlsonn in Calgary under Kipper like this.even Schneider in Vanc.. LA want Bernier to succeed. He has to grab it when given the opportunity. There is a reason the organization did what they did with him… They realize the talent and value.
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Damn, and I’m going to the game tomorrow
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If memory serves me correctly, Bernier backed up Quick in Manchester for a while. The club made the decision to call Quick because both were playing well but Quick was the more experienced of the 2. Quick came up and finally ended the goalie merry-go-round leaving Bernier as the clear number 1 in Manchester.
The reason I bring this up is because of all the talk about Bernier adjusting to his role. Sure it is different than being the starter, but he’s done it before and behind the same guy no less. The Kings want him to succeed. He never really supplanted Quick as the clear number 1 in Manchester but he did elevate his play to get it to a rotation.
Since Quick has been at the NHL level, he has gotten better and stronger. Bernier is going to need to elevate his game again to get penciled in as a regular instead of just breather games for Quick. My feeoling is that people are giving too much weight to the “no longer the starter” factor. It looks to me that the real issue is getting a steady lok at the guy at the NHL level. Last year he came up and looked amazing in 2 games and the team won him the 3rd. This season other teams have him scouted better. The league has taken notice of Bernier and he needs to adjust with it. That’s just the whole advanced scouting part of pro sports, and it is a heck of a lot better at the big level. Last season I think he may have caught a few scouts napping.
Like most here, I think he has the makings of a star. He is in a great position to learn from someone who has quickly established himself as a star. (No pun intended) I hope he makes the adjustments to his game and sticks. Quick or Bernier? Whoever is better for the team… period. Quick has set a pretty high bar and Bernier hasn’t been able to match it yet.
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KC23 Reply:
December 11th, 2010 at 9:43 am
@PK, I think the first thing he should learn from Quick is how to deal with the media after a loss. Quick never lets the media corner him into saying anything negative about the play of his team mates. Bernier has struggled getting around those type of questions.
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I’m glad to hear he’s improving. It will be a matter of experience in my opinion. The defense just don’t look as confident with Bernier behind them. Jimmy Howard took Osgood’s spot, it’s quite possible that Bernier will get his chance to shine soon.
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