Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Steve Mason will have arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, according to CSNPhilly.com.
Mason sustained a lower-body injury Sunday in the second period of the Flyers' 3-1 win against the Washington Capitals. Mason was at the bench during a stoppage in play, and when he turned to skate back to his goal crease he immediately returned to the bench in pain, unable to put much weight on his right leg. He needed help from the Flyers' training staff to get off the ice.
He did not return to the game Sunday, and did not accompany the Flyers on their trip to Montreal for a game Tuesday for a game against the Canadiens. General manager Ron Hextall said Sunday that he did not expect Mason to play during the Flyers' current four-game road trip. After playing Tuesday in Montreal the Flyers play at the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday and at the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday.
In 34 games this season, Mason is 11-12-7 with a 2.27 goals-against average and a .925 save percentage that ranks fourth in the League entering play Monday. Prior to the injury he had been playing some of his best hockey of the season, going 3-0-1 with a .959 save percentage in four games before playing the Capitals; Mason had stopped all eight shots he had faced when he was hurt.
To replace Mason, the Flyers recalled goaltender Anthony Stolarz from Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League on Monday. The 21-year-old is in his first professional season after the Flyers selected him in the second round (No. 45) of the 2012 NHL Draft. In 22 AHL games he is 7-10-1 with a 3.04 goals-against average and .911 save percentage.
According to CSNPhilly.com, this is the third time Mason will miss games because of an issue with his right knee. His injury absences this season were four games in December because of an upper-body injury and six games in January because of a lower-body injury.
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