Flyers Notes: Emery or Mason vs. Kings? Berube will decide Tuesday

Flyers coach Craig Berube said he was undecided on whether Steve Mason or Ray Emery would be his starting goalie Tuesday against the visiting Los Angeles Kings.

"I'm going to sleep on it tonight and see what happens," Berube said after practice Monday in Voorhees.

Emery, who has started the last two games, came out early for practice, usually an indication that he would start the next game. Emery is 3-0-1 with a 2.60 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage, and he keyed Saturday's 4-2 win over Detroit.

Mason (0-3-1, 3.83 GAA, .878 save percentage) has been on the bench the last two games. He made 35 saves in a 2-0 win in L.A. last season.

"He's not a backup," Berube said of Mason. "We have a goalie [Emery] who is playing well."

Berube said Mason's practices have been "real good" and that his rough start was because "we haven't played very good in front of him" and because of some "unlucky bounces."

The Kings are allowing just 1.50 goals per game, second in the NHL.

"L.A.'s a very good defending team; they're a big team. They don't give up much," Berube said. "You have to work to get your opportunities offensively, for sure."

Berube called the defending Stanley Cup champions a "structured team that plays a team game as good as anyone in the league, so we need everybody going and everybody on the same page doing the little things out there."

The Flyers are averaging 3.25 goals per game, tied for fourth in the NHL, but they have allowed the first goal in seven of their eight games.

Winger Zac Rinaldo will return to the lineup after missing one game with an upper-body injury. . . . Vinny Lecavalier (left foot) won't play Tuesday, and Berube isn't sure if he can play Thursday against his former team in Tampa Bay. Berube said Lecavalier needs to get "more skating and practice time." . . . Kings star Anze Kopitar was injured Sunday but made the trip to Philadelphia.