Jonathan Bernier will return tonight, hopefully with a healed-enough groin to be able to deliver the level of goaltending he was providing previous to the injury. It would be massive if Bernier jumped right back in and started delivering some wins right now. Remember, though, that he tried to play through the injury against LA and did not look himself.
It’s no secret the Blues are a better team than the Leafs — possession giants with one of the league’s best defence cores, best team shooting percentage in the League, deep at all positions – but the Leafs should, technically, be hungrier and more desperate. Should.
There was an interesting quote from Claude Loiselle on the radio yesterday where he said this team is making things harder on themselves right now by trying to win multiple games in the first period of one game. The goal has to be to win a period, not the next 9 games all at once. The team has been trying to force things and has been getting burned. It cost them against the Devils and it will kill them against Ken Hitchcock’s structured group if it continues.
Let’s hope Bernier is and stays healthy, plays well, and the Leafs come out with an upset here to spur on a good finish that salvages a playoff spot.
Lineup graphics courtesy Daily Faceoff.