Despite being only 17, Lewiston’s goalie has come into his own
LEWISTON – Jonathan Bernier’s bright orange right pad flew across the crease, making a few spectators wonder whether his leg was still attached to the rest of him. Whatever the cost, that puck wasn’t going to cross the goal line.
On a subsequent play, an errant pass crossed the crease in front of him, and a forward streaking up the right side of the slot missed the puck and slammed into Bernier, who was already in position to make the save, just in case. The Lewiston Maineiacs’ 17-year-old netminder popped to his feet, shook his head, hopped once on his skates and got right back into his crouch.
And that was only Wednesday’s practice, two days before his first playoff start.
“It’s about intensity,” said Maineiacs coach and general manager Clem Jodoin. “Goaltenders have to be intense, too.”
“I have to be focused all the time,” said Bernier. “Practice is what you will do in the games, so I have to practice with focus, too.”
After practice, Bernier turns back into his happy-go-lucky self, smiling at everyone and laughing along with his teammates. At 17, Bernier is composed, mature beyond his years.
“I think he’s real mature for 17-years-old and I think he can take the pressure and he handles it,” said Maineiacs captain Marc-Andre Cliche.
Growing up
Bernier was as surprised as anyone last summer when he fell to the eighth position in the league’s entry draft. So was the Maineiacs scouting staff, who said at the time they were “pleasantly surprised” the goaltender was available.
In the European draft, Lewiston also selected a netminder – Jaroslav Halak – to mentor Bernier for one season.
“He had the perfect situation,” said Jodoin. “He learned under Halak and then saw a lot of time this year, to learn, to grow, to build his confidence, to work with some good goaltenders.”
In addition to Halak, who is now playing with the Hamilton Bulldogs of the American Hockey League, Bernier learned from Maineiacs goaltending coach Marc Champagne and from Montreal Canadiens goaltending coach Rollie Melanson.
Still, his fellow goaltender last season may have been the biggest influence so far.
“With Jaro, he’s a really good goaltender,” said Bernier. “He’s fast, he can handle the puck. In the room, he was always focused. That’s how I want to be, focused every game, do the little things like control your rebounds, play the puck, things like that.”
Taking the reins
After Halak declared his intentions to turn pro last summer, and seeing the Maineiacs draft primarily blueliners and forwards at the draft last summer, Bernier knew he would be the go-to guy between the pipes this season.
“As a 16-year-old, I played 25 games,” said Bernier. “It was nice. (Jodoin) gave me a chance gave me a chance to prove myself last year and build my confidence, and now it’s much better.”
“For a young 17-year-old, he had to carry the team,” said Jodoin. “He was the first goalie, he knew that he had to be responsible, he knew had to perform, and he did.”
Bernier played in 53 games this season, finishing with a 27-26 record. His .908 save percentage tied him for third, while his 2.70 goals-against average was good for fourth.
“I never check my stats during the year,” said Bernier. “The only time I checked them was the last game against Saint John. If I had one goal or a shutout, I would have been third in the league standing, but you have to think of the team first. You have bad days, good days and some days you play well and sometimes you don’t.”
One of those not-so-good days for Bernier came back in November against Moncton. After battling this year’s league champs to a 0-0 stalemate in the first period, Bernier allowed five goals in the first six minutes of the second period. Still, Jodoin left the young netminder in.
“The mental process of a goalie, to be stronger mentally, you have to go through some good and bad experiences,” said Jodoin. “Sometimes they will have a very bad experience, but why should I tell him that he is not responsible anymore? He has to be responsible all the time, it doesn’t matter the result.”
Playoff rookie
Going forward, Bernier will be in uncharted territory, starting his first playoff series on Friday night.
“Now he’s got the ball,” said Jodoin. “It’s up to him to show what he can do.”
So far, the young netminder from Laval, Quebec, has shown little in the way of anxiety.
“In the playoffs, it’s like a normal game for me,” said Bernier. “You’re not the only one on the ice all game. Maybe one game you can pull off a miracle save or game, but the rest of the team has to help you, too.”
His teammates, meanwhile, are ready to pick him up if they need to, but are also cognizant of their backstop’s abilities.
“During the playoffs, we know we have Bernier,” said Cliche. “We’re all confident about that. We know he can win some games by himself, so that’s good for us. He always makes the key saves for us.”
With Games 3, 4 and 5 set for a crowded Halifax Forum, Bernier knows the pressure is now on him. Crowds, he said, don’t bother him much, one way or another.
“I never look in the crowd,” said Bernier. “I just have to keep my focus on every game, focus on winning the two games here and then go up to Halifax and win two more.”
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