As noted a few days before the break, Jonathan Bernier will get the start in goal for the Kings tomorrow against Minnesota, with Jonathan Quick scheduled to get the call Wednesday in Edmonton. Terry Murray made that call well before the break, and let both goalies know, giving them time to prepare in their own ways. It will be Bernier’s first start since Jan. 17, when he gave up only two goals but lost to Dallas 2-1. Today after practice, I asked Murray if there was any particular reason that Bernier will get the call against Minnesota, as opposed to flipping the goalies…
MURRAY: “I guess I could have gone with Quick in both games, but I think that would be pretty demanding right now, with the travel. I talked to Bernier about four days before the last game, actually, and let him know that he was going to be playing in this game. Quick went back to the East Coast, took his family back, and had a little more travel. Bernie was staying in L.A., just getting rested and getting ready to get going. So that was the reason for it, quite honestly. That was the reasoning behind it. I really felt that I had to share the two games on the back-to-back, and that was the reason for it.”
I have no problem with Bernier playing tomorrow. I felt since the beginning he should play at least 20 games this season to keep him interested and Quick fairly fresh.
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KingsFanFTL Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 5:17 pm
@puck73, yea quick need the rest think he tired out again
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jess Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 5:47 pm
@puck73,
Yep Bernier is a complete asset to the future of this hockey club and we should keep him in shape. We may need him to come up big for us in the near future. God knows we needed him last year right about this time.
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before99 Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 9:18 pm
@puck73, Still think the order should be reversed. Quick tomorrow and Bernier against Edmonton.. Hope they prove me wrong:)
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Smart move, play Bernier with fresh defense in front of him and play Quick on the back end of the team burning out.
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if the Kings lose TM will be the dumbest coach on the planet….everyone will call for his head
that reasoning is sound in my opinion….just win the damn game….my call is if we can’t score it won’t matter.
TM, if you can hear me….you might want to have full gear on if we can’t pull out the victory tomorrow night.
at least Belanger won’t be able to kill us in Minnesota anymore….
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Harry Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 5:33 pm
@launch, Wow, that’s kinda rude. TM is a great coach. He knows what he is doing.
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jess Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 5:43 pm
@Harry, Yes when he is blindfolded and spun around 15 times
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launch Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 5:45 pm
@Harry, what’s rude? I was making a reference to the crazies on this blog that call for TM head after a loss….it includes trading everyone, and firing DL as well
I too believe that TM is a good coach, maybe not great, but what is the alternative? He can take the boys to the promise land….I believe!!
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Dominick Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 5:54 pm
@launch,
That’s where I get in trouble. Someone once wrote on this blog, which I think applies to 1/2 my comments “sarcasms lost on the internet”.
jess Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 5:41 pm
@launch,
I always keep a set of happy pills and party poppers handy myself for his post game quotes.
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oscar Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 7:25 pm
@launch, These 3 wins are great, but TM still needs to go. He is proving it more than not. Why would going with Quick be “demanding”. Right after the all star break. His comments are totally unfounded as much as he is useless. Get rid of him I say. “Win some Loose more” is the name of the game. Another coach needs to change that pattern. Murray has no passion, nor does he have any ingenuity, and he gets outcoached. I used to blame the players, but not anymore, its him.
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Sebastian Reply:
February 1st, 2011 at 7:50 am
@oscar, LOL
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fsd1 Reply:
February 1st, 2011 at 8:33 am
@oscar, disagree on all points.
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BrokeKingsFan Reply:
February 1st, 2011 at 9:26 am
@fsd1, I commend your support for TM! you are very consistant in backing him up and i like that. I dont agree with you at all but i stand pat on my views and you seem to do the same. Tm has done a good job teaching our kids the defensive side of the game which is very important but I dont think he is the coach to take us to the next level! We need a coach that is more well rounded when it comes to O and D, TM is to one dimensional.
fsd1 Reply:
February 1st, 2011 at 9:29 am
@fsd1, at bkf, ok, so who do we replace him with?
jess Reply:
February 1st, 2011 at 10:35 am
@fsd1,
TM does not have killer instinct. Hockey is a game yes, but it happens to also be a simulation of war, and in war the general is highly motivated by the prospect of battle. This translates to his men who then reflect this energy with a win on the battlefield. General Patton is a fine example.
TM is no General Patton..
Spaceballs? There goes the bloody game…
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Sounds like TM isn’t too happy about Quick running around during the break
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Shakes Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 9:00 pm
@DBking,
Actually, and I could be wrong, it sounded like TM was pretty understanding of his players and between a toss up on who starts this game versus the game after let his players decide for him. Regardless down the stretch we’ll need both goalies so I don’t really care
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DBking Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 10:15 pm
@Shakes, Agreed. But considering Minny is right infront of us in the standings and EDM is the cellar sweller, I’d rather have my #1 in net for the ‘more important’ game (I know there are all important but you get what I mean.)
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Shakes Reply:
February 1st, 2011 at 8:29 am
@DBking,
Which is actually a totally fair point…although i guess we can overthink it a bit based on the fact that the Oilers have actually player us pretty well this season and we needed Quick to help us in a shootout versus them. Hmm.
Hopefully the offense will score more than a goal and give Bernier a chance to get a win that he deserves
kevin Reply:
February 1st, 2011 at 1:02 pm
@DBking, I lok at it like this quick is going to play against edmonton and the flames if you play him agains the wild he is then off for another three days after already being off for 5
Everyone has their favorite part of the ASG. I guess mine was seeing Thomas going all out in full gear (a goaltender sprinting is hilarious) and then chundering into the boards through the turn –then getting up and still winning.
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brian spain Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 9:59 pm
@jess, Thomas didn’t win, and the other goalie was coasting. he must have seen Thomas fall.
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jess Reply:
February 1st, 2011 at 8:42 am
@brian spain, Oh I swear I thought he got the faster time. Buzz kill –well, thanks for ruining my candy cane unicorn fun vision.
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I dont understand. TM should know that this four ponit game with the wild. If quick is the number one goalie then he should be playing this game. Terry is not being honest. Hes not starting Quick because the way he handled the puck against the wild last time. He was the reason why we lost that game. He knows the wild will make him play the puck. Quick should learn how to play the puck. If he doesnt learn he will never be number goalie in the nhl. someone will take his job one day.
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fsd1 Reply:
February 1st, 2011 at 8:35 am
@Jesse, More garbage than I can take, do you think that scoring one goal might have had anything to do with the loss?
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kinginsaltlake Reply:
February 1st, 2011 at 8:48 am
@fsd1, Do agree that Quick has poor puck handling skills.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
February 1st, 2011 at 9:08 am
@fsd1, THANK YOU!
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danny Reply:
February 1st, 2011 at 10:04 am
@What’s the frequency, Kenneth?, WE SCORED 2 THAT GAME JUST SAYING LOL.
A bit of a strange call to me. It is so important to come out of the break with a victory right out of the chute. Why not go with your number 1 goalie?
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Before99 Reply:
January 31st, 2011 at 10:52 pm
@rick, Couldn’t agree more!
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I don’t see anything “strange” about this call for Bernier at all. Bernier has to be ready for big games. What if he was needed in an even bigger game than this one? Play him, for sure, in this first end of a back-to-back.
Neither Minny nor Edmonton is any kind of offensive juggernaut, so in that sense also, I don’t see what the big worry is.
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TM guess he could start Qick in both games, would be pretty
demanding right now, TM never done it. So try it we might win.
Qick is rest up, more that he plays better he gets.
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If Quick is the number one guy, I’d be starting him tonight, then Bernier tomorrow, but I’m not TM, and I don’t play him on TV either.
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There used to be so much praise on this board about the depth of our goaltending.
Now with the poor stretch we’ve had, fans are nervous about giving JB the start.
Both of our goalies have proved that they can play exceptionally, and can have a bad night.
JB needs to get his starts to stay sharp and contribute.
Likewise, JQ benefits from rest and keeps his competitiveness.
We expect the team to have confidence in Bernier dont we?
Time we start showing some confidence in Bernier too.
Go Kings Go!
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I just feel that Terry always trys to over coach. I just dont think we have any room to make poor decisons. I would go with a plan in every shift and every game that would make sense more over the other. Its like watching a NBA game. A player has a layup but he shoots a jump up shot. Why not do the right thing which everybody would understand. I dont know how many fans would understand if TM took KOPI out of the game and put some AHL player in that has only played 30 some games in the NHL. Its a four ponit game. I dont know about any other fan but I think Quick is more important than KOPI because we cant afford to give up too many goals. One thing is that when we give up bad goal we need two goals to over come that mistake. We just dont the talent to over come mistakes. The only way I see the Kings making the playoffs is by playing mistake free hockey which includes coaching desions. Dead line is apporaching Dean get to work.
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