Plan B works for Kings

From Nashville — 

For a team that had become almost afraid to win, for players who were gripping their sticks too tightly, goaltender Jonathan Bernier was the perfect antidote Tuesday.

In two starts for the Kings this season, Bernier has won a shootout and recorded his first NHL shutout, but it was his demeanor in a 2-0 blanking of Nashville at Bridgestone Arena that won him raves.

Called up from Manchester of the American Hockey League after backup Erik Ersberg strained a back muscle, Bernier stopped 34 shots to help the Kings end an 0-3-1 slide and a seven-game winless streak against the fifth-place Predators.

But more impressive than that, more significant even than the Kings’ club-record 22nd road victory, was Bernier’s control of his rebounds and his emotions.

With their season threatening to go sour and facing a team whose speed and formidable skill have given them fits, Bernier was the reassuring force the Kings needed as they held on to seventh place in the West and moved to within six points of clinching their first playoff berth since 2002.

“I’ve only seen him two games, but poised would be the word,” said defenseman Sean O’Donnell, whose nifty top-corner goal with 2 minutes 1 second left in the third period and the teams skating four-on-four supplemented the quick wrist shot Scott Parse had rifled past Pekka Rinne at 7:50.

“I don’t think it’s an accident when you see a lot of pucks hit him in the pads or hit him in the shoulders or whatever. You’ve got world-class players over there and they seem to be hitting him in the chest. He just seems to be in sound positioning all the time.”

Nashville’s mobile defense, led by Olympic gold medalist Shea Weber and silver medalist Ryan Suter, combined for 11 shots and posed constant threats. Bernier faced them all coolly.

“It’s fun to come here,” said Bernier, who accompanied the team back to Los Angeles though it’s unclear how long he will stay. “For me it was just to try to get the guys on track. I didn’t think about the shutout.”

His teammates helped him by blocking 19 shots and playing a disciplined game that avoided taxing their shell-shocked penalty-killing unit. The Predators had two power plays and got three shots on those advantages.

“I just thought our focus tonight was really good,” Bernier said. “I looked at the past four games and I don’t think they played really bad. I thought we dominated and the puck was just not bouncing our way. Tonight it did, so it was good.”

He had no margin for error until Parse scored his third goal in two games, set up on fine passes by Randy Jones and Jeff Halpern’s first point as a King. O’Donnell gave Bernier some breathing room with his third goal this season, pouncing on the rebound of a shot by Alexander Frolov and seeming to pick the top corner over Rinne’s shoulder.

“One of their guys dove and I just didn’t want to hit him in the pads,” O’Donnell said. “I said, ‘Get it up and don’t hit him in the pads.’ It worked out.”

It was one of many things that worked well Tuesday for the Kings, who lead eighth-place Colorado by three points and ninth-place Calgary by seven.

“I don’t want to say must-win. It’s still regular season,” O’Donnell said of the urgency the team felt. “But to feel a little bit of pressure like we did, like we need to get a win here, and to come into a place like this and get a win in an impressive manner like that I think was hopefully a real steppingstone for us.”

Maybe for Bernier too. With Ersberg hurt and an overworked Jonathan Quick losing his sharpness, Bernier could infuse more poise and calm into a team that needs both qualities. It’s a nice problem for the Kings to have, for once.

helene.elliott@latimes.com

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