TORONTO — Garret Sparks is back in net for the Toronto Maple Leafs for a simple reason: he wins.
Sparks will start for the Maple Leafs on Thursday night when Toronto hosts the San Jose Sharks with struggling Jonathan Bernier back on the bench.
“He’s 3-1 and this is the National Hockey League and he’s done a good job and we’ve been able to get points when he’s in the net,” said Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock after Toronto finished practice on Wednesday afternoon. “That’s what it’s about. We’re in the winning business so we’re going to give him the opportunity to go next game.”
Sparks has a 3-1-0 record for the Maple Leafs with a 2.20 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage after being called up from the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies on Nov. 30.
Bernier is 0-8-2 with a 3.45 GAA and an .881 save percentage for the Maple Leafs this season. He did a 10-day conditioning stint with the Marlies last week, earning shutouts in his first three games but then losing to the Utica Comets 5-4 in overtime on Sunday in his fourth start, giving up a goal on the first shot.
He returned to the Maple Leafs’ net on Tuesday and again struggled in a 5-4 overtime loss to the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning.
Babcock was succinct when asked for an evaluation of Bernier’s performance against Tampa Bay.
Source: news.nationalpost.com
