PHILADELPHIA – Teammates in Los Angeles, Jonathan Bernier had a sense of what Wayne Simmonds might attempt when the two squared off in Philadelphia on Wednesday night. Custom Chicago Blackhawks Jerseys . Hauled down by Paul Ranger with fewer than four ticks left in the second period of a tie game, Simmonds was promptly shut down by the closed pads of Bernier in what proved to be a game-changing penalty shot. “Hes got a great backhand too,” Bernier smiled after his Leafs debut, a 31-save gem that sealed a 3-1 win, the second in as many nights for Toronto. “I remember that. I was hoping he was going to shoot it.” Passed over for the opening night start in Montreal just a day earlier, Bernier was a sponge in the Leafs crease, absorbing a barrage of shots from a feisty Flyers group, his team eventually finding their way in the third frame en route to victory and a perfect 2-0-0 start to the season. “The puck just seems to stick to him,” Joffrey Lupul said afterward of Bernier. “Especially on point shots through traffic or tipped, it just seems to always be right around him.” “He just battled,” added Randy Carlyle, the Leafs surviving six of seven Flyer power-plays, including three in a turbulent opening frame. “Any of the loose pucks that were around he seemed to have the ability to scoop up, be it with his trapper or his blocker. He grabbed pucks. When there were loose pucks around, they didnt get many second opportunities.” And when they did manage those opportunities, Bernier held strong. With the Flyers on the hunt of their fourth man advantage early in the second frame it was the Quebec netminder turning aside multiple whacks from Vincent Lecavalier and Matt Read, the score remaining a misleading 1-0 for the home side. Holding strong early and often, his efforts were eventually rewarded late in the second frame when Phil Kessel buried his first of the season to knot the score at one. It was less than three minutes later though that Simmonds was awarded the penalty shot – 3.1 seconds left on the clock – a simmering Philadelphia crowd about to bubble over with their team on the attack and the period about to close. The game lingered on the line, a goal from Simmonds sure to turn the tides in the Flyers favour heading into the third and final frame. “Those are momentum swings that can carry a team into the room and I think with him stopping the penalty shot [it] gave our room an extra boost between the second and third,” Carlyle said. “He made it look pretty easy,” Lupul added of the stop on Simmonds. Dave Bolland would score the go-ahead goal minutes into the third, his first as a Leaf and first of two on the evening, all that Bernier would need to preserve victory. On the hunt for the No. 1 gig in Toronto after years as a backup with the Kings, it was a fine first showing for the 25-year-old. How it skews the early race for starting duties will certainly prove curious in the days ahead, the home opener with Ottawa looming at the Air Canada Centre on Saturday. Five Points 1. More pucks for Bernier Bernier better get used to seeing more rubber in Toronto than he did in Los Angeles. The Kings gave up the third fewest shots per game last season, a direct contrast to the Leafs, who finished fourth-worst overall, yielding more than 32 per night. Over the past two seasons – a stretch that includes 25 starts – Bernier faced more 30 shots on only four occasions, winning three of the four starts. 2. Carlyles choice Berniers impressive performance may not be enough to earn him the start on Saturday if past history is the judge for Carlyle. James Reimer has simply sizzled in his career against the Senators, highlighted by a 8-1-1 career mark with a 1.69 goals against average and .949 save percentage. 3. Bolland rises With Claude Giroux occupying the first line centre spot for the Flyers and Lecavalier manning the second hole, Carlyle made the decision at the outset of the second frame to flip Bolland onto a second unit with Lupul and Nik Kulemin, replacing the youthful Nazem Kadri. “We felt that having the flexibility to put Bolland up there gives us another competitive veteran guy to play up against those guys,” Carlyle explained of bumping Bolland up in the lineup. Finding a quick favourite in the head coach, Bolland sparked the unit, beating Steve Mason in tight on a feed from Lupul early in the third before icing the proceedings late with his second of the evening. Shortly after the trade with Chicago went down this past summer, GM Dave Nonis hinted at growth potential for Bolland offensively – hes scored 15 or more three times – an early sampling perhaps of such sentiments on Wednesday night. “Hes a solid player,” Lupul noted of Bolland, who played 16 minutes. “I knew that playing against him, watching him in the playoffs a lot. Hes going to do things right in his own end … [And] he showed he can go to the net and finish as well.” 4. Bernier impressions Lupul observed before the game that Bernier oozed “calm” in the crease, both in handling incoming shots and limiting rebounds. Also noticeable to the 30-year-old was Berniers proficiency with the puck. “Hes really confident handling the puck which I think can help our defence out a lot going back to retrieve pucks,” the winger said, prior to Wednesdays match with the Flyers. “Hes pretty good at getting out there behind [the net] and hitting the open man.” Added Cody Franson of that ability, “I think anytime a goalie has confidence handling a puck, its going to help us. It doesnt make us go back quite as much for pucks and it can help us spread their offence out a little bit. Thats definitely a plus.” 5. Fraser injury, Rielly opening? Mere seconds after he laid a high-stick on Zac Rinaldo did Mark Fraser take an awkward hit from former Leaf Jay Rosehill. Fraser twisted his left knee on the play and did not return. He left the Wells Fargo Center on crutches and will have a further assessment done on Thursday. An injury to the Ottawa native could spell an opening for Morgan Rielly, who sat in the press-box for a second straight night. “Right now they want him to practice and keep picking up some things at practice,” Lupul said of the 19-year-old Rielly. “Hes going to be in there eventually. Obviously they didnt keep him here from junior to sit in the press-box all year so hes going to get his opportunity and its his job to be ready and I think he will be.” Special Teams Capsule PP: 1-2 PK: 6-7 Quote of the Night “The one call on Colton Orr, I dont know. Im not going to get myself fined but holy crow. Giroux spun to turn around and fell and we got a penalty for it.” -Randy Carlyle on the penalties his club faced against the Flyers, including an early tripping call to Colton Orr. Up Next The Leafs host the Senators in their home opener on Saturday. Blackhawks Jerseys 2021 .A. Dickey earned an American League Gold Glove on Tuesday to become the first Toronto Blue Jays pitcher to win the award. Blackhawks Jerseys China . Viewers in the Jets region can watch the game on TSN Jets at 6:30pm ct/7:30pm et. The game is also avialable on TSN Radio 1290 in Winnipeg at 7pm ct. https://www.cheapblackhawks.com/ . Ashton scored a hat trick -- giving him 13 goals in 16 AHL games this season -- to power the Toronto Marlies to a 5-2 victory over the visiting Lake Erie Monsters in AHL action on Sunday.MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee tweaked its top of the batting order recently and it has been paying off. On Friday night, the rest of the Brewers lineup joined in on the fun. Ryan Braun homered to highlight a five-run first inning and the Brewers beat the Chicago Cubs 11-5 on Friday night. "Everybodys swinging the bat well," Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke said, "and theres no doubt when everybody is hitting like this and there are mistakes made, were not missing them like we were earlier." Braun had three hits and three RBIs for Milwaukee, which has won 25 of its last 31 games against Chicago. Rickie Weeks and Martin Maldonado had three hits and two RBIs each as the Brewers scored a season-high runs in its most lopsided victory of the year. "Youve got to cherish moments like this when you come out swinging and it lasts the whole game," Weeks said. "Its always a good thing." Marco Estrada (5-2) allowed three earned runs and six hits in six innings. Travis Wood (5-5) turned in his shortest outing of the season when he lasted only 2 2-3 innings. He gave up 10 hits and seven earned runs for the Cubs (19-33), who have the worst record in the majors. "They hit everything I threw up there," said Wood, who allowed two hits and struck out seven in seven innings of a 4-2 victory over Milwaukee on May 18. "It didnt matter what I threw. They were hacking early and they got to me. ... Three pitches into it, I was two runs downs. Its tough to get into a rhythm there." Chicago, shut out in its last two games at San Francisco, ended its scoreless streak at 22 innings. "We scored a couple of runs but we fell behind the 8 ball early, and it was just kind of tough to recover," Chicago manager Rick Renteria said. The change to the top of Milwaukees lineup has paid dividends. Jean Segura has batted leadoff the last eight games and is 14 for 38 (.368) with seven runs scored during that time. Braun has hit second in each of the last six games and is 13 for 27 (.481) with seven RBIs. Before this season he had not batted anywhere in the starting lineup but third since Sept. 30, 2010. And Carlos Gomez batted cleanup for his seventh straight game -- Aramis Ramirez is on the disabled list -- and is 13 foor 27 with one homer and eight RBIs. Chicago Blackhawks Store. He led off his first 42 games this season. Against Chicago, they were a combined 4 for 5 with a walk in the first two innings to help Milwaukee take a 6-0 lead. "We just need to do what works for us," Segura said. "This is good for us." All three reached base in the first, as Chicago allowed five runs in an inning for the first time since April 12, against St. Louis. "When you come out in the first inning like we did, thats outstanding," Roenicke said. "It allows your pitcher to do some different things, and then we added to it, which a lot of times weve been scoring in the first inning or second inning and then we dont do much the rest of the game." On the first pitch of the game, Segura reached on an infield single. Two pitches later, Brauns blast sailed over the wall in right-centre field for his eighth homer -- and first at Miller Park. "When you get guys on base early, things usually escalate pretty well after that," Weeks said. Gomez walked and scored on a double by Khris Davis for a 3-0 lead. Weeks followed with a run-scoring single before Maldonado gave Milwaukee a 5-0 lead with a two-out double. In the second, Gomez extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a single that drove in Braun for the six-run lead. A four-run fifth padded Milwaukees lead to 11-2. "It makes things a little easier, especially when Im kind of scuffling," Estrada said. "My last two outings before this Ive kind of been all over the place. Tonight I just felt much better. I located better, but still walked four guys and cant keep doing stuff like that." NOTES: Ramirez will begin a rehab assignment Sunday with the Class-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. ... Chicagos 20 road losses are the most in the NL. ... Braun moved into sole possession of fourth place on the franchises all-time RBI list with 707. ... Wood was trying to become the fourth Cubs pitcher in the last 20 years with five victories in May. ... Milwaukee tied a team record by collecting at least 10 hits in its ninth straight game. ... Starlin Castro has reached safely in his last 14 games at Miller Park dating to Aug. 22, 2012. ... Chicago is 7-25 at Miller Park since the start of the 2011 season. ' ' '