Neuvirth giving Flyers stellar 'backup' goaltending
Michal Neuvirth has filled in when Steve Mason was unable to play, and his stats have been superior to Mason's.
THE QUESTION was barely out of a reporter's mouth before Dave Hakstol started his answer.
The first-year Flyers coach probably could have predicted he'd be asked about his goaltending situation Monday, given the recent play of Michal Neuvirth, who was signed this offseason to back up Steve Mason.
Neuvirth capped off a great week with his NHL-leading third shutout of the season in a win over Winnipeg Saturday. With a .945 save percentage - aided by 45 stops in Edmonton last Tuesday - he entered Monday tied atop the league with Jake Allen and some guy named Henrik Lundqvist. Neuvirth's 1.81 goals-against average is fourth in the NHL and much better than Mason's 3.34 (to go with his .902 save percentage).
It's early, sure, and Mason had some issues (personal and illness) that kept him out of the net, but the question was fair - if not expected.
Does playing time for goalies this early in the season matter, in terms of how much they're splitting it and whether you've got a clear-cut No. 1 and 2 guy?
"Well, we do," Hakstol replied. " 'Mase' is our No. 1. We've said that all the way along and feel that way. A big benefit for our team is how well 'Neuvy' is going and how well he's playing. I think both guys are ready, and that's part of their job, to be ready when they go in."
So far, Neuvirth has done his job and then some. And perhaps in no other position in sports is it as popular to ride the hot hand.
"You put everything into a decision at every position, not just the goaltending position," Hakstol said. "How was your last performance? That factors into the decision. So you can term it however you want; does it factor into a decision? Absolutely it does, yeah."
Then it doesn't take Galileo's intelligence to figure out who should - and probably will - be in net Tuesday night when Colorado visits the Wells Fargo Center.
Even Mason knows that to some degree.
"He's been playing excellent," said Mason, who was feeling sick toward the end of last week, but says he's 100 percent now. "When you see a goaltender playing the way he is, I know, as a fellow goaltender, it's fun to watch. You strive to be in the zone that he's in right now. The game's looking like it's coming to him pretty easily.
"Not in a negative way, I don't see it as competition. I think of it as a good, healthy tandem that we have."
Mason, who hasn't played since last Monday in Vancouver, chuckled a little when asked whether Neuvirth's success was making him sweat a little. Each has played in eight games and has seven starts.
"No, it's not making me sweat," Mason said. "It's good, though. It's good for him personally, and it's good for the team. On the West Coast, he gave the team a chance to win and be in games that we necessarily shouldn't have been in. Edmonton, for example. It's not making me sweat. It's motivation, because that's a fun place to be in where he's at."
Neuvirth, who signed a two-year, $3.25 million deal on the first day of free agency, has bounced around a bit during his eight-year professional hockey career. He's been streaky. He was solid in a starter's role in Washington before eventually becoming Braden Holtby's backup.
He split time last season with Jhonas Enroth in Buffalo before being traded at the deadline to the New York Islanders to provide depth to starting goalie Jaroslav Halak.
"For me, the more I play the more comfortable I feel," Neuvirth said.
That's certainly showing.
Health watch
Pierre-Edouard Bellemare and Evgeny Medvedev took some early skating before Monday's practice, but did not partake in the team's regular session.
Bellemare (lower body) was expected to miss at least two weeks after being injured in a game against Buffalo on Oct. 27. That timeline has him out at least past Tuesday's game against Colorado.
Medvedev (upper body) remains day-to-day, but, considering defenseman Davis Drewiske was at practice Monday, it appears Medvedev's return will have to wait until at least Thursday, as well.
R.J. Umberger did not practice. The Flyers called it a "maintenance day." The winger had a rough Saturday night against Winnipeg. He blocked a shot with his foot and took a hard punch in a fight with Andrew Ladd.
The Flyers calling it a "maintenance day" doesn't rule out the possibility of injury. Neuvirth had a maintenance day earlier in the season and ended up being banged up.
Slap shots
With R.J. Umberger not practicing, the Flyers' third line had Vincent Lecavalier and Sam Gagner on the wings with Brayden Schenn at center . . . Scott Laughton continued to skate at center with the fourth line . . . Colorado (4-9-1) comes to Philadelphia losers in four of its last five games, including a 2-1 loss to the New York Rangers on Friday . . . Former Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger was one of seven people inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame Monday, along with fellow players Nicklas Lidstrom, Sergei Fedorov, Phil Housley and Angelo Ruggerio and "builders" Bill Hay and Peter Karmanos.
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