Steve Mason finally got into Philly’s first-round series with the Rangers on Tuesday night, coming on in relief of Ray Emery for the final seven minutes of a 4-1 loss.
Some saw that as a precursor to Mason starting Game 4 at Wells Fargo -- but for now, the Flyers’ No. 1 goalie isn’t thinking that way.
“I have no expectations,” Mason said. “If Chief [coach Craig Berube] says I’m in, then I’ll be ready.”
Mason practiced once again Wednesday with the Flyers’ coaching staff and a handful of players. If he’s called upon to start Friday, he says he’ll be prepared – despite not having started a game since April 12, and not playing a complete game since April 8.
While it’s impossible to perfectly replicate game situations in practice, Mason believes he’ll be sharp enough to play in Game 4 thanks to the work he’s put in since returning from the upper-body injury that kept him out of the lineup for the series’ first two games.
Mason, previously sidelined by an upper-body injury, looked good in limited action on Tuesday, stopping all three shots faced (two of which came on a power play.) That said, it was his first game action in 10 days and it’s still unclear just how game-ready he is, especially for Friday’s crucial tilt -- one that Flyers captain Claude Giroux all but guaranteed victory in.
“It could be Ray or Mase, I think we’re pretty confident with how both goalies have been doing for us,” Giroux told CSN Philly. “We’re looking forward to Friday.”