Following three years serving as the back-up in Los Angeles, newly acquired Maple Leafs goaltender Jonathan Bernier says hes "ready for the challenge" of battling James Reimer for the number one spot in Toronto. Speaking on Leafs Lunch with Bryan Hayes and Jamie McLennan on Thursday, Bernier said it was "very hard" at times being entrenched behind Jonathan Quick and is now excited at the prospect of getting an opportunity to compete with Reimer for the top spot with the Leafs. "Im ready for the challenge," Bernier said. "Ive been waiting three years for that and now I finally get some playing time so Im very excited to come and Ill be ready." The 11th overall pick in the 2006 draft explained he learned a lot from backing up the 2012 Conn Smythe Trophy winner for three seasons and although it was frustrating, he used it as a learning tool. "It was very hard. Sometimes motivation was pretty low but I know at the end of the day, when I look back at this, its going to make me a stronger person and a stronger player and it was good for me to learn from one of the best goalies in the league." Coming off his best year statistically, in which he posted a 9-3-1 record to go along with a .922 save percentage and 1.88 goals against average, Bernier said he welcomes the competition with the Leafs incumbent goaltender and believes in having a supportive relationship with his fellow netminder, similar to what he had in L.A. "Im very happy, its a great opportunity to come to Toronto with James I think its going to be a good battle," Bernier said. "It reminds me a little bit of when I got to the Kings. We kind of grew up together. Obviously the chemistry is key when you want to win and you want to play for each other, so thats the right way to do it." Reflecting on his most recent season, Bernier said he was excited to embrace a larger role with Quick nursing a back injury. "This year was really good for me. Johnny had back surgery so I kind of stepped in and played a little bit more at the start and it was nice to play some back-to-back games and start feeling like you still got it." Talking about Berniers 2012-13 season, Kings general manager Dean Lombardi told Dave Naylor on TSN Drive that "without Jonathan Bernier, I dont think we make the playoffs." He went on to say that Berniers play this season proved he was ready to make the leap to being a starting goaltender in the NHL. "Clearly, (he has) the upside of a number one goalie," Lombardi said. "If you look at his pedigree to date, I dont think you could find another unproven number one who has done everything possible to prove he was a number one. Everything from what he did in the minors, to how he progressed at the NHL level and then certainly this year I think put him over the hump because not only did he play well, but he won big games." Maple Leafs general manager Dave Nonis reflected on how he expects Bernier will fit into the Leafs plans going forward earlier in the week when he spoke with Dave Naylor on TSN Drive, Tuesday afternoon. "From our standpoint, it was the excitement about bringing in another top young goaltender into the organization and have Jonathan and James (Reimer) together," Nonis said. "I think it gives us probably, in my opinion, one of the top two punches of potential in the National Hockey League." Nonis said he expects both goalies to compete for the number one spot and isnt worried about a potential conflict between the two. "Well I think thats always a risk at any position," Nonis said. " Its a situation where we feel we have two guys with great potential and great character and theres no reason why they cant both compete hard for that job and push as hard as they can to keep control of the net." Bernier said hes simply looking for an opportunity to challenge for a starting spot and believes Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle will give him that. "From what Ive heard, theyre kind of similar in a way because theyre fair coaches and as a player thats what you want," Bernier said when asked about the similarities between Carlyle and his previous coach, Darryl Sutter. At 5-foot-11 and 186 pounds, the 24-year-old is not among the bigger goalies in the NHL, but said he makes up for it with his hockey instincts. "Im not a very big goalie, so I need to be in good position. So Id say reading the game is probably my biggest strength. When Im on top of my game I can read two, three plays before its going to happen and thats probably got me to where I am now."Kevin Durant Shoes Outlet . -- The goal posts lying flat on the field, Arizonas fans lingered on the field, congregating around the locker room entrance nearly 30 minutes after rushing out of the stands. Kevin Durant Shoes Free Shipping . -- Al Jefferson found a groove just in time for the Charlotte Bobcats. https://www.kevindurantshoescheap.com/ . The defending champion beat Gael Monfils of France 7-6 (6), 6-3, while second-seeded Andy Murray of Britain dispatched Edouard Roger-Vasselin, also of France, 6-3, 6-3. Making his first appearance since injuring his wrist a month ago, Del Potro had difficulty with his service games in the first set. Kevin Durant Shoes Deals . Aduriz headed home Markel Susaetas cross in the sixth minute to open the scoring at San Mames Stadium. He bettered that with a long-range blast that went in off the goal frame in the 18th, and converted a penalty in the 72nd after Diego Mainz was sent off for fouling Aduriz with only the goalkeeper to beat. Cheap Kevin Durant Shoes . -- Ty Montgomery had 290 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, and fifth-ranked Stanford held on to beat No.DALLAS -- When the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Dallas Stars meet Saturday night at American Airlines center, they will do so coming off distinctively different results earlier in the week.Columbus (1-2-0) got its first win of the season Friday night, defeating the Chicago Blackhawks, 3-2 at Nationwide Arena, the perfect way to leave town to start a four-game road trip.We needed this one, Columbus forward Nick Foligno told the Columbus Dispatch. We needed to win at home. This has got to be a tough place for people to come into, and we didnt make it tough enough on the first two opponents. We had a whole week to think about it and really let it stew. There were a lot of guys with a little bit of a chip on the shoulder tonight.Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 32 of 34 shots for the Jackets to earn his first win of the season.But the Columbus netminder was quick to credit his teammates for those two points.I thought we played great, Bobrovsky told Fox Sports Ohio. We started really good. We put lots of shots on net. We just went after them. It was fun to watch. We played with some confidence, it was a great game.However, this win came with a notable asterisk as defenseman Ryan Murray left the game in the first period with an upper-body injury and did not return. Columbus coach John Tortorella said postgame that Murray likely wouldnt travel with the team, meaning either Scott Harrington or Dalton Prout will replace Murray at the blueline.Columbus also recalled forward Sonny Milano, the 16th pick in the 2014 draft after the game. Milano, 20, has three games of NHL experience from a stint in Columbus last spring.Tortorella would not name a starting goaltender for Saturdays game following the win against Chicago, meaning he could go with Bobrovsky for a second straightt night or give the nod to Curtis McElhinney, which would be his first action of the season.ddddddddddddDallas (2-1-1) heads into Saturdays game still stewing a bit over a disappointing 4-3 overtime loss to the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday, a rough way to start a three-game homestand.We didnt win enough puck battles, we didnt get above the puck, we didnt play well enough defensively to win a hockey game, Stars coach Lindy Ruff said of the loss to the Kings after practice on Friday.The Stars lost two forwards to injury in that game, Patrick Eaves and Patrick Sharp. Eaves picked up a lower-body injury late in the second period and did not return for the third period while Sharp experienced concussion-like symptoms after a hard hit into the boards during the second period.Ruff said Eaves might be able to play on Saturday but said Sharp was placed on injured reserve and will not.One player who will be returning to the ice for Dallas on Saturday is veteran forward Ales Hemsky, who will likely make his season debut against the Blue Jackets.Hemsky has missed the first four games recovering from a groin issue he picked up during training camp. And after skating for the past few weeks, he is happy to say he now feels ready to return.Definitely feel better, I feel stronger, Hemsky said after practice on Friday. Again, I had a good week and hopefully Im ready for a game. So well see what theyre thinking and what will happen tomorrow (Saturday).Ruff also has a decision to make in net of whether to start Kari Lehtonen, who largely performed well in the loss to the Kings or go back to Antti Niemi? Both veteran goalies have started two games thus far. ' ' '