After winning two consecutive extra period games at home, the Flyers couldn’t continue their winning streak falling to the Boston Bruins 3-1.
The Flyers lost more than just a game today as starting goalie Steve Mason went down awkwardly after making a routine save with 12:56 remaining in the first period. Mason had been complaining of a mysterious injury that he tweaked Tuesday against Ottawa. He missed practice on Wednesday and had an MRI taken after complaining of general soreness. Mason did play the next day against Washington however. Flyers backup Ray Emery came into the game after the Mason injury and allowed 3 goals on 13 shots.
Flyers captain Claude Giroux, who had the team’s lone goal, was asked how defeating it was to see his goalie go down so early in the game:
“Yeah, he’s been playing really well,” Giroux said. “It looks like he’s in a lot of pain. We’re not too sure what’s going on. He’s a big part of this team.”
The Flyers only allowed 18 shots on goal against the Bruins, which matched a season low. However, two of those goals came by Bruins’ rookie 18-year-old right winger David Pastrnak. Both of those goals also happened to be Pastrnak’s first two of his career. Per Flyers’ beat writer Sam Carchidi: Pastrnak became the first 18-year-old to score 2 goals against the Flyers since Sidney Crosby on Dec. 23, 2005.
Bruins’ center Chris Kelly iced the game in the 3rd period after scoring a short-handed goal on Ray Emery.
Emery hadn’t played in a week and looked a little rusty having been suddenly inserted into the game after the Mason injury. When asked if he’d be prepared to serve as the Flyers’ regular goalie for the immediate future, this is what Emery had to say:
“Like I said you always want to be prepared but I don’t know what the situation is,” Emery said. “If I get a chance to play I’m going to make sure I’m prepared.”
With the loss, the Flyers fall to 16-19-7 at the midway point of the season. It’s disappointing to say the least and there have been rumblings that head coach Craig Berube may be on the hot seat if things don’t turn around quickly. Rumors have been swirling of a Berube firing before the season comes to an end and the talks of his replacement have begun. Such names as John Stevens and Mike Bobcock have been brought up.
It’s obvious that Berube is just as frustrated as his players as well as the team’s fan base. He was short with the media after the game. When asked about Steve Mason’s status following his injury, this is what Berube said:
“I don’t know, I don’t talk about it. Nothing to talk about, I don’t know what’s going on yet.”
When asked if each current loss hurts any more with the team’s downward spiral as opposed to a loss early in the season, Berube simply put it this way:
“All losses hurt. No one likes to lose.”
With the NHL’s All Star weekend only two weeks away, the Flyers are hoping to be well represented by the likes of Claude Giroux and Jake Voracek; both are having wonderful individual seasons. However, with Steve Mason’s health being a mystery and the head coaching position being questioned, it’ll be interesting to see how the next few weeks play out.
The Flyers will next host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday night at the Wells Fargo Center. The puck drops at 7pm.
