from Damien Cox of Sportsnet,
“Lots of time we don’t get run support. Tonight we had run support.
“I would have like to get a better result.”
The speaker was Mike Babcock, and all those words, really were code for what he wanted to say but couldn’t say because the culture of hockey, the culture of sport, often doesn’t support frank comments and assessments....
Bernier was beaten five times Tuesday night, starting with the second shot and ending with the OT winner off the stick of Vladislav Namestnikov. He faced only 27 shots, leaving him with a dreadful .815 save percentage in his first NHL game after a conditioning stint in the minors in which he registered three consecutive shutouts and supposedly found his form.
In the fourth of those games for the AHL Marlies, however, he allowed five goals with Babcock in attendance, and including Tuesday’s 5-4 loss, he’s now allowed at least four goals in each of his last four starts for the Leafs.
No goalie can stay in this low-scoring league long with those stats.
Where this story goes from here is anyone’s guess. The waiver wire has interesting names on it most days, and nobody would be surprised if Bernier’s ended up there soon. Give the Leafs credit; they’ve patiently tried pretty much everything they can to get their former No. 1 goalie back on his game, and none of it has worked.
Watch the game highlights below...
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