Flyers look to keep riding Steve Mason through schedule

VOORHEES — One of the first players on the ice for Wednesday’s practice, as usual, was goalie Steve Mason.

That’s his routine a day before he gets a start. A creature of habit, he would have done it even if the Flyers’ practice had been optional.

It looks like he’ll keep getting the call, at least until Michal Neuvirth returns.

“I don’t see fatigue in him, no more than anybody else in this locker room,” Dave Hakstol said of Mason.

“I think he’s fine. I don’t think there’s any issues that anybody else in this room isn’t dealing with. This time of year it’s a busy schedule. I don’t know how many people have the luxury of being 100 percent healthy, feeling physically 100 percent energized. This time of year everybody’s got to be ready and prepared to do the job.”

Even though the Flyers entered Wednesday’s practice six points shy of a playoff spot — they were two out as recently as Jan. 17 — they likely won’t have call-up Anthony Stolarz make his NHL debut this week.

“I feel fine,” Mason said Tuesday night. “At this point of the season you have to grind through some things. I’m no different. We have to find ways to win hockey games right now.”

The Flyers might give him a rest if Neuvirth were available, but Wednesday was his first practice with the team. He isn’t ready to return just yet from the “lower-body injury” that is believed to be a groin pull.

“Timing is off,” Neuvirty said. “First practice with the team. I’m a little rusty and timing is off.”

Recalling Stolarz raised some eyebrows. He had come right from the American Hockey League’s All-Star festivities to join the team and this time it wasn’t just for a one-game seat on the edge of the Flyers bench.

He’s made progress this year, his second season as a pro, but it doesn’t seem like the Flyers are ready to test him at this level just yet. Not while the team is still fighting for a playoff spot, as far behind as they may be.

“I think the mental part he’s improved on and certainly the physical part. I like his growth,” general manager Ron Hextall said. “Am I comfortable right now that he’s ready to play for 10 years? No. I still think he’s got some areas of improvement and consistency and stuff. I think he’s shown a lot of growth. The mental part, sometimes it’s easy to go in for one game. Over the long haul it’s difficult. He’s certainly gained a lot of ground this year.”

There really isn’t much in Mason’s play that would suggest he’s not up to snuff. It appears he can be a little slow to get up at times, which is likely related to the knee injury he’s playing through. He’s got a 2.59 goals-against average and .916 save percentage in the last five games that he’s played.

So why is Stolarz here then, as opposed to usual call-up Jason LaBarbera who has 187 games of NHL experience?

“Quite honestly, Jason was in Florida (for the All-Star break),” Hextall said. “He hadn’t skated for a few days. Stolie was skating. He played in the All-Star Game. It just made more sense right now. We’ll see.”

Missing Coots

For the first two of the Flyers’ string of three straight losses, the team played rather well. The games were close and there’s good reason to believe they might have been able to push over the top if Sean Couturier had been healthy and able to play.

The injured center is on track in his recovery of a “lower-body injury” to his right ankle, but it’s clear without him just how big of a role he plays for the Flyers.

“One-hundred percent,” Jake Voracek said. “He’s one of the biggest parts of the team, 100 percent, with his play defensively, offensively. He’s been hot offensively as well, making a lot of plays on the offensive side of the puck. It makes the matchups a little easier with him in the lineup because he’s so good defensively. Obviously we miss him, but that can’t be an excuse. A lot of teams are missing a lot of key players and they always find a way to win.”

The Flyers are 2-8-2 without Couturier.

“It’s a really small sample size,” Hextall said. “Yeah you look at it and go 'He’s a big part of our team.' We all knew that. Would we like him back tomorrow? Yeah. It would be terrific. But it’s not going to happen. So we’re going to go with what we’ve got. And we need to find ways to win games.”

Loose Pucks

Former Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen has been added to Team Finland’s staff for the World Cup of Hockey in September as a scout and advisor. … Wednesday was the Flyers’ first full practice since Feb. 1. … Shayne Gostisbehere, who broke at least four sticks in the last three games, tried out three new sticks in Wednesday’s practice.

Dave Isaac; (856) 486-2479;disaac@gannettnj.com.

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