Flyers' Neuvirth hoping to get on a roll
After a strong relief performance in Thursday's shootout win over Vancouver, Flyers goalie Michal Neuvirth is feeling good about himself.
After a strong relief performance in Thursday's shootout win over Vancouver, Flyers goalie Michal Neuvirth is feeling good about himself.
Coach Dave Hakstol is also feeling good about his backup goalie.
Which is why Neuvirth figures to play in the matinee Saturday in Boston. Hakstol even said it wasn't out of the question that Neuvirth would also be in the nets Sunday afternoon in Washington, where the 28-year-old goalie used to play.
Neuvirth will replace Steve Mason, who helped key a recent 10-game winning streak but hasn't won in his last eight starts. Mason appears fatigued after starting 25 of the last 28 games.
"Mase has played a lot of hockey, and Neuvy needs to give him a break now," general manager Ron Hextall said.
Neuvirth was sharp in relief of Mason in the 5-4 win over the Canucks. He entered the game at the start of the third period and did not allow a goal in 25 minutes or the shootout. "He looked really calm and settled as soon as he went in," Hakstol said.
Early in the third period, "it was nice he had a couple shots from outside angles, and he looked very settled on those and I thought he built his game from there - all the way through the shootout," Hakstol said.
Asked if he had a problem using Neuvirth in both weekend games, Hakstol said: "I wouldn't rule anything out. I think we've done that before.. . . Right now, we'll worry about one game at a time."
"It felt good," Neuvirth said of his 14-save win, which was sealed when he stopped Loui Eriksson in the shootout. "You never know in the shootouts. They can go either way. I've been working on it at least once a week, and it paid off."
Neuvirth missed nearly two month with a knee injury before returning last Saturday and beating Tampa Bay, 4-2.
"I felt like I had a good game against Tampa, and I was coming in confident in the third period [Thursday]," he said. "I believe in myself. I try to enjoy the hockey."
Neuvirth and Mason, each of whom struggled early in the season, are not only trying to keep the Flyers afloat in the playoff race, but they are showcasing their talents. Both could become unrestricted free agents in July and might end up elsewhere.
Both want to stay with the Flyers, and both know they need a strong second half to convince Hextall he should re-sign them.
"It wasn't an easy start [of the season] for the whole team," said Neuvirth, whose injury-prone history makes it unlikely the Flyers will re-sign him. "It wasn't good enough, but what happened happened, and I'm just focusing on getting better each day and giving my team a chance to win every night."
Breakaways
Defenseman Mark Streit, who hasn't played since Jan. 11 because of a shoulder injury, is expected to return to the lineup Saturday.. . . The Flyers waived hardworking Boyd Gordon (one goal in 13 games), who signed a one-year free-agent contract for $950,000 in the offseason, to create enough cap space for Streit's return. If Gordon clears waivers, he will be sent to the AHL's Phantoms. Hextall could have opened cap room by sending Roman Lyubimov to Lehigh Valley because he does not need to clear waivers. But the GM believes the Russian winger brings more to the lineup than Gordon, who scored the Flyers' first goal of the season - and none since then.. . . Winger Matt Read is questionable with an unspecified injury.. . . Tuukka Rask, Boston's all-star goalie, left Thursday's game after getting hit in the mask, but he practiced Friday and was expected to be available Saturday.
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