Don Cherry says Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Jonathan Bernier isn’t fully at fault for allowing one of the strangest goals of the season.
When Arizona Coyotes defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored on an high-arching dump-in from his own blue-line during Thursday’s game against Toronto, many people–including Leafs coach Peter Horacek–were displeased with Bernier. But Cherry believes the blame should be elsewhere.
During Saturday’s instalment of Coach’s Corner, Cherry pointed out that Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith was not ready in his net when the puck was dropped on the goal-scoring play, and is of the belief that Bernier also may not have been ready.
“Mike Smith isn’t even ready. (The ref) drops the puck before he’s even in the net. That’s what I think happened with (Jonathan) Bernier,” Cherry told Ron MacLean. “He was a little bit screened but he was not ready.”
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Cherry says that referees are supposed to ensure that both goalies are ready before dropping the puck at the face-off circle.
When Bernier spoke to reporters after Thursday’s game, he said that he was unable to see the puck during the play.
“I didn’t see it, I lost it in the stands and it just dipped in front of me,” Bernier said, adding, “I can’t give up two bad goals and hope to win.”
