BREAKING : Flyers to be left one vital player short tonight.

The Philadelphia Flyers have announced that goaltender Steve Mason will miss tonight’s game against the New Jersey Devils at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Flyers GM Ron Hextall made the announcement that, due to illness, Mason will sit out and Michal Neuvirth will get the start in goal. Hextall also announced that the team has recalled goaltender Anthony Stolarz from the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms to back up Neuvirth.

Mason has had another inconsistent campaign in the Flyers’ crease this season with only 25 wins in 56 starts. While he has shone for the Flyers at times, his statistics for the 2016-17 season are amongst the worst in the entire league. His 2.71 GAA and .907 Sv% is dreadful, but unfortunately for the Flyers Neuvirth’s 2.83 GAA and .890 Sv% is even worse. 

If the Flyers are to improve their record next season they’ll need to start between the pipes. Lucky for them Stolarz, chosen 45th overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, has played well when called upon by the Flyers this season. In just four games with the big club the 23 year old native of Edison, NJ has produced a sparkling 1.79 GAA and .938 Sv%. 

This begs the question for a lot of Flyers fans, why not just start Stolarz from here on out?