Bernier's preseason debut

By Rich Hammond on September 16, 2009 1:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) |

Jonathan Bernier played the entire game in goal at Staples Center last night and stopped 20 of 23 shots. The first Phoenix goal was a nice shot from an almost impossible angle. The second goal was unpreventable, as the puck made a hard deflection off Rob Scuderi's skate. The third goal came off a centering pass, with the Phoenix forward alone in front. In all, Bernier didn't seem to face a lot of sustained pressure. Here's what Terry Murray had to say about Bernier's game...

``This was actually the first time I have seen him in an NHL game and he was good here,'' Murray said. ``Especially late in the third period, he had a play that came to the net from the point and the puck was knocked down in front and he made a real quick save on that. That's the talent that's there and he stayed on it to stop any second or third opportunities.''

Murray also pointed out how Bernier would skate to the bench during breaks in action in order to communicate with coaches and teammates.

J.P. Hoornstra writes about NHL and IHL hockey for the Los Angeles Newspaper Group. He welcomes any and all dialogue on the finer points of hockey. E-mail J.P. at jp.hoornstra
@inlandnewspapers.com.

Jill Painter joined the Daily News in 2000 and during the last eight years she's covered the Dodgers, Cal State Northridge, UCLA, Kings, golf and everything in between. Even though she's from Colorado, she still freezes in the Staples Center press box but always manages to thaw her fingers in time to make deadline. E-mail Jill at jill.painter@dailynews
.com.