The work of an NHL backup goalie is often a life full of twists Womens Andrew Cogliano Jersey , turns and surprises, as Jonathan Bernier and James Reimer once again found out this week.Bernier assumed he’d be taking his normal seat at the end of the Detroit Red Wings bench as the Wings faced the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday. But when Jimmy Howard’s back seized up during the warm up, Bernier was pressed into action.He made his second consecutive start on Thursday at Carolina and stopped 38 shots — 14 of them in the first period — as Detroit topped the Hurricanes 4-1, ending an 0-3-1 skid.Article continues below ...“Bernie was excellent,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill told Detroitredwings.com. “We needed him to be great in the first and he was.“I thought he stood his ground hard. I thought he fought through traffic great. I thought he found pucks really well and he made big saves at big moments.”Thursday wasn’t as welcoming for Reimer. Facing his old team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, Reimer was called upon to relieve starter Roberto Luongo as the Leafs shelled the Panthers 6-1.“It was a good hockey team playing a team that didn’t look very good Brandon Montour Jersey Kids ,” Panthers head coach Bob Boughner told nhl.com. “I think that we had too many passengers. We tried to overcomplicate the game. What we did last week against Toronto (in a 4-3 overtime win) was we had 20 guys working hard and working together.“I thought we were just fragmented. I didn’t think we had the right mindset, and that’s what happens against a team like this. If you don’t have 20 guys all playing the same way, you can get blown out.”The loss halted Florida’s brief two-game winning streak, the first time the Panthers had won consecutive games since a five-game win streak in early November. The Panthers are 2-4-1 in their last seven games.Detroit has also been sliding of late. The Wings a 3-5-2 in their last eight games. They’ve surrendered at least four goals in five of those games, while Thursday’s win marked the first time in seven games that they’d scored better than three goals.“Blash called us out a little bit after the last game (a 3-2 loss at Philadelphia),” Detroit forward Dylan Larkin said. “We’re aware of that. Everyone stepped up and played a solid road game.”The Wings come home off a 1-1-1 road trip.“Three points in three games on the road, we’ll take that Womens Cam Fowler Jersey ,” Larkin said.After this game, the Wings close out their pre-Christmas slate Sunday in Toronto.“These games going into the break are huge for us,” Larkin said. “We’ve got to treat it like a playoff series and it’s not going to be easy with Florida and Toronto, but getting two points (against Carolina) definitely helps our confidence going into those games.”The Panthers complete a four-game road trip Sunday at Chicago. Boughner indicated that Luongo would get the call Friday against Detroit and Reimer Sunday in Chicago. TORONTO (AP) Mike Babcock was at his daughter’s graduation when he received a text message from a friend about reports of a strained relationship with star center Auston Matthews.”I’ll find out in the morning,” the Toronto coach replied. ”I’ll meet him. I’ll ask him in the morning.”As the Maple Leafs cleaned out their lockers Friday in the wake of a seven-game loss to the Boston Bruins in the first round of the playoffs, Babcock and Matthews addressed speculation the coach had ”lost” his player during the series.”I said, `What’s going on?”’ Babcock told reporters of his conversation with Matthews. ”It’s interesting in Toronto Corey Perry Jersey , you (media) do such a good job. You’re everywhere. You’re under the bench, you’re in the crack in the door, you’re in the car, you’re in the parking lot. You’re everywhere, and any time anybody does anything there’s a big story.”I asked him flat-out, `Do we have any (issues)?’ He was sitting right there. We don’t seem to.”Matthews, who had just a goal and an assist against Boston Conor Timmins Jersey Womens , said talk of friction also was news to him.”I don’t know what that’s all about,” he said. ”Our relationship’s fine. Obviously, you guys can speculate all you want, but I think it’s pointless.”Stuff happens, people speculate. I can tell you right now it’s not the case.”The 20-year-old from Arizona scored 34 goals in regular season despite missing 20 games due to injury, but admitted to being frustrated in the Bruins series following a Game 7 where Toronto blew a 4-3 lead in the third period before losing 7-4.”Auston’s a young man trying to be the best player in the world,” Babcock said. ”The hardest part in life is when you’re disappointed and you thought you maybe could have done more. I know that from me as a coach … it makes you sick http://www.ducksshoponline.com/authentic-jakob-silfverberg-jersey , almost. He’s a good young man. We’re lucky to have him. I’m lucky to get to coach him, and we continue to grow our product here with him leading the way.”
