Flyers Notes: Mason practices for first time since surgery

RALEIGH,  N.C. - Goalie Steve Mason took another step Tuesday toward returning to the lineup.

For the first time since he had arthroscopic knee surgery on Feb. 10, Mason practiced with the Flyers during their morning skate Tuesday at PNC Arena.

Afterward, Mason didn't close the door on returning Thursday in Toronto, but said Saturday against the visiting New York Rangers was a "more realistic" goal.

"That was good. I pushed myself as hard as I could today," Mason said after practicing for more than an hour. "Obviously, there is still some room for improvement from the knee standpoint and feeling sharp out there. It was only a pregame skate and not quite a practice. I definitely need to work on some things."

The Flyers have not had many full practices recently because of their crowded schedule.

"We're playing every other day, and a pregame skate is not a practice," Mason said. "You don't get the number of shots you would get in a normal practice to start feeling sharp again. Today was a good test, movement-wise. This was the first day I was doing uncontrolled situations, where guys were coming backdoor and I can't control what happens next - and the knee responded pretty well."

Mason said he had "no real pain. A little stiff when I was on my knees pushing into the post, where the knee doesn't feel as free as it will in a couple of days, hopefully."

Defenseman Kimmo Timonen, who has been practicing since Feb. 17, continued to skate with the team and said the earliest he will play is Saturday. Timonen has missed the entire season because of blood clots.

"I feel it's going the right way," Timonen said. "I'll get a good practice [Wednesday], a good practice Thursday" in the morning skate. "I just have to feel I'm 100 percent when I'm out there. I don't have an exhibition game to ease myself into it."

Timonen appears to be eyeing Saturday for his return, but he said he won't use the Monday trade deadline as his incentive for getting back in the lineup.

"The guys have done a really good job," he said. "I'm not pushing myself into the lineup. If guys play like this the next few games, I might as well wait and let the guys ride the wave. It's [makes] no sense to change the lineup because of the way guys are playing right now and me going in and taking somebody's spot."

Veteran forward Vinny Lecavalier is frustrated about remaining out of the lineup.

"I thought I was working hard and our line was getting opportunities," said Lecavalier, goal-less in his last 19 games. "Five-on-five, I thought we did pretty well. We were bringing energy."

Lecavalier was scratched for the third consecutive game, and Zac Rinaldo remained in the lineup.