Mason, Flyers solve Blue Jackets
Steve Mason didn’t have his best puck-stopping stuff Saturday, but what he produced in what could very well be his last start in the Flyers’ goal crease was good enough to matter.
If Mason indeed was going out, he went out the way he wanted, overseeing a 4-2 victory over his former team, the Columbus Blue Jackets at Wells Fargo Center. For
a nice, round-number topper, it was Mason’s 200th career victory.
Considering he’s a pending unrestricted free agent whose current $4.1 million salary cap hit probably doesn’t seem to fit in with the Flyers’ future financial plan, it’s likely that Mason’s 201st win will come elsewhere. Phantoms goalie Anthony Stolarz, who has replaced injured (again) Michal Neuvirth, is scheduled to start Sunday night’s Flyers season finale against Carolina.
“Definitely well aware of it,” Mason said when asked if he’d pondered whether this was going to be a Philly farewell. “I’m not in a position here where moving forward, I have any indication of what’s going to be happening. Obviously, there’s one game left in the season. Then, after that, I become a free agent. Leading into summertime, there will be an uneasy, exciting, stressful time, I’m sure.”
Mason only stopped 20 of 22 shots, but he made a few good ones early to keep the Flyers level during a fast Blue Jackets start. The Flyers then got two goals in the space of 1 minute, 32 seconds from unlikely sources Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (12:52 of the first period) and Michael Del Zotto (14:24) to post a solid lead with which Mason could work.
Perhaps if he’d been treated to such early leads earlier in the season instead of the Flyers’ usual modus operandi of playing from behind, Mason’s contract year would have gone much better.
As it was, he was streaky at the start, though very inconsistent defensive efforts in front of him didn’t help. Later, Mason was playing behind a Flyers team that over too long a stretch was having trouble averaging better than a goal a game.
Mason had entered this game with so-so marks of 25-21-8, a 2.67 goals-against average and .908 saves percentage. Those numbers were helped along by an impressive late-season string of performances by Mason, who after a long spell of backing up went 9-5-2
with a 2.15 GAA and saves percentage of .933 over his last 16 games coming into Saturday.
But if any alibis were made about Mason getting undercut by a Flyers team that underperformed ... well, his career marks coming in were a 2.68 GAA and .911 SP, barely off this season’s final numbers.
“We have the talent in the room to score goals,” Mason said. “Obviously, facing (ex-Flyer Sergei) Bobrovsky, who’s having a wonderful season, was great to get a few past him and have a lead to work with. Anytime you have a lead that gives you a little bit of a cushion, the game becomes a little more slowed down for everybody.”
Mason stopped everything until a shorthopped, deflected power play launch from Columbus defenseman Seth Jones got by him 1:07 into the second. But Jake Voracek answered with a power play goal at 13:48 to get the twogoal edge back. Then Ivan Provorov would make it 4-1 with a nice wrist shot at 13:48 of the period.
Mason then allowed a twice-deflected goal by Boone Jenner late in the second period, but he barely fliched, and with plenty of help from his teammates shut the Jackets down the rest of the way.
There were some questions about Mason’s relationship with some teammates after it was recently perceived that he might have been too critical of the club’s play after recent games.
Wayne Simmonds doesn’t agree.
“I don’t think it was a problem,” Simmonds said. “For myself, I’m going to say what I feel like saying. So ... if I’m saying it, I really mean it. I guess you could classify Mase the same way. If he had something to say he said it and he wasn’t shy about it.
“I don’t have too big of a problem with Mase, it is what it is. Guys are allowed to voice their opinions and if you feel something it’s going to come off your chest sooner or later.”
“Nobody’s ever said anything to me in terms of that,” Mason said. “Hopefully, it hasn’t rubbed people the wrong way. It’s just strictly out of holding high standards. Maybe it’s better
sometimes if I choose the words more carefully so as not to offend anyone too much. But at the end of the day, I think the guys understand I’m speaking out of caring.”
There’s no question Mason was a player who cared. He carried the Flyers at times in recent seasons, and at other times — such as in a lost playoff round last spring to the Washington Capitals — his performances shrunk a bit when the Flyers really needed him to come up big.
He might be hoping that isn’t a career epitaph here. But the frequently injured Neuvirth, out now due to suspected concussion issues after hitting his head on the ice after passing clean out during a game April 1 against New Jersey, was the one offered a two-year contract extension. Coincidence or not, that came just prior to Mason excelling down the season’s stretch.
So Stolarz is poised to move up to the big club next season. And Mason? He’s ready for anything. “I don’t know if this was Mase’s last game (here), first and foremost,” Simmonds said. “Second of all I’ve played with Mase a long time. It started with Team Canada back when we were 19 years old and I’ve had the opportunity to play with Mase here 3½ or four years now. I have nothing but good memories.”
Looking ahead, Mason said, “It’s crazy how quickly it goes by. I’ve been fortunate to play with good players I call friends and (win No.) 200 is obviously a team stat. This being the last game of the season for me, it’s special.”
••• Mason and Simmonds were winners when the Flyers handed out their annual team awards, collectively voted on by the media, broadcasters and teammates. Simmonds was named club MVP (Bobby Clark Trophy), while Mason earned the media’s Yanick Dupre Memorial “Good Guy” Award. Other award winners included Provorov (Barry Ashbee Trophy as outstanding defenseman), Radko Gudas as most improved player (Pelle Lindbergh Memorial Trophy) and Bellemare for demonstrating the “most heart” (Gene Hart Memorial Award).