Los Angeles Kings vs. Chicago Blackhawks

LA Kings (L) 1 vs Chicago Blackhawks (W) 3

Jonathan Bernier

I am really starting to question what the Kings minor league system (or maybe Bill Ranford) is teaching their goaltenders.  Aside from the lack of focus that seems to be plaguing Jonathan Bernier in his starts this season there are some uncomfortable similarities in Quick and Bernier's games that I did not notice before this year.  
 
The first goal that Bernier allowed was a lucky goal but it was a bad goal at the same time.  Jim Fox talked about Bernier being in a paddle down technique, which is fine on scrambles in front of the net.  But this wasn't a scramble in front of the net, it was a bad angle and unlucky but if Bernier had been standing up it wouldn't have gone in.   I have noticed this with Quick also and it drives me crazy.  There is no benefit to doing this on non scramble situations, it opens up the top of the net and it has been the book on Quick since late last season, which is more of the reason for Quicks demise than being overplayed.



The paddle down technique is more about laziness than technique and both of the Kings goaltenders need to stay in their stance and not try and take shortcuts.

The second goal is just like the one Quick gave up last game that was bad,  Bernier made the save and dropped the rebound right in front for an easy goal.  On www.lakingsinsiders.com Bernier states “I didn’t see it at first. I just saw it at the end."  Still sounds like a focus problem, he needs to realize he is in the NHL now and he has to always be ready.



The third goal has been compared to a goal Bernier allowed in his first game of the season in Calgary since it was identical.  The one main difference is this goal came late in a game that Bernier was not seeing much action.  Games like this one for Bernier are incredibly difficult for a goaltender, it is a lot easier to face 50 shots a game and stay in the action then to watch the game from 200 feet away and then try and make a key save.  That being said it is still a bad goal.  Just about any goal that the goalie tries to poke check the puck is a bad goal.  The cardinal rule of goaltending is make the shooter make the first move and when you poke check you're breaking that rule.  Both goals that Bernier allowed on the poke check he almost still got with his leg.  If he wasn't leaning the opposite direction he would have gotten them both but throwing his weight one way and then trying to move back was just too much.



Marty Turco

Turco played a solid game in goal for the Blackhawks and with the exception of one minor mistake he could of had a shutout.  Of course he owes a whole lot to his defense and his goal posts as the Kings were threatening all night.

The one goal that Turco let in, as Jim Fox stated on the broadcast was just a matter of losing his angle.  This happens more with goalies that come out to play the puck as Fox stated but luckily for Turco it did not effect the outcome of the game.