THIS RELEASE COMES FROM THE FLYERS:

Flyers G Steve Mason skated Friday at Chelsea Piers in New York City.  Below is a transcript of his comments in a media availability afterwards.

Flyers G Steve Mason

“It was a pretty controlled setting and it felt good.”

Steve, do you expect to be available on Sunday?

“I’ll try my best.”

Does something have to click in for you to feel like, will you know mentally or are you depending on the doctors? Do you think you’ll have that feeling that you know I’m good to go?

“I’ll know exactly when I’m ready to go physically, but it’s also management and doctors’ decision as well.”

What do you remember from that play where you were injured?

“I remember everything.”

Can you describe what happened?

“I made a save on Crosby coming down my right-hand side, the rebound kicked to my left and was just looking to try and get a stick on it and Mac [Andrew MacDonald] was kind of in a helpless position when he got pushed into me.”

How frustrating was it to sit out last night’s game?

“Very frustrating. This is a time that you’ve worked all season to get to, and to see the team go out there and a playoff atmosphere in Madison Square Garden where the stakes are so high, that’s something you don’t want to be sitting out and watching. It was difficult. Especially since the result, I think everybody expects a much better game on Sunday. I don’t think anybody was happy with the way that the team played.”

Steve, was there anything specific that you were working on in drills today or were they just kind of generic goalie drills?

“Just stuff that we’ve worked on all season long. Like I said, I haven’t skated a whole lot in the last few days, so to get out there and have a controlled setting and kind of just get back to basics and have a good goalie practice.”

It looked like you were tracking. What were you tracking, the puck? Just the way they were passing it around, is that one of the things you were doing?

“Yeah just drilling and practice. We were doing skating drills, but it’s also, like you said, tracking. We did a lot of outside shots, it’s all just feel-good goalie stuff more than anything. It’s not really a practice for the skaters out there.”

In general terms, do you think there’s a good chance you’ll play? Fair chance you’ll play Sunday, poor chance? Great chance?

“I don’t want to comment on that.”

Do you feel you’re healthy or getting healthy?

“I’d rather not comment on that either.”

You are smiling. You weren’t smiling the other day.

“Definitely smiling. Like I said, things have been getting better each day, and we still have a couple days before Sunday rolls around, so that’s definitely my goal.”

How many concussions did you have before Saturday?

“Are you saying that I have a concussion?”

I’m saying before Saturday to evade that question.

“In my career, prior to you commenting on this, I’ve had two.”

What restriction muscle-wise when you turn your head to track the puck or when you slide you shoulders around, are you restricted in anyway?

“Nothing that would overly concern me.”

But a couple days you were restricted, weren’t you?

“I wasn’t feeling good a couple days ago.”

How did you handle the eagerness and anticipation to get back and how’d you reconcile that with wanting to conserve your long-term health?

“I think the team’s done a great job of that for me. As a player, you’re going to probably say you’re ready to go back before you actually are, just because you have that competitive nature. I think for myself, watching Ray last night, I think he played a great game so that kind of eases the feel of urgency in a sense because he was so strong. We’re just going to take this day by day and if I’m ready to go Sunday, then I’m ready to go. If not, Ray was definitely not the reason we came out on the losing end.”

Do you have to meet with doctors again before Sunday to get clearance?

“I believe so. I don’t know for sure, but I believe so.”

Steve, how much are you looking forward to this opportunity? It’s been a while for you in the playoffs.

“Yeah especially getting into Sunday’s game potentially and then going back to the Wells Fargo Center where by all accounts is probably one of the best playoff atmospheres in the league. So that’s something as a player, you look forward to. I know the guys in the dressing room are looking forward to winning on Sunday and getting back home and going from there. For myself personally, I haven’t been in this situation for a number of years and when we finally were able to clinch a playoff spot, this was something that…”

Will you need a full practice tomorrow? Will that be the determining factor?

“I’ll be practicing tomorrow, as far as I know.”

_____________________________________

Brian Smith
Manager, Broadcasting & Media Services

Philadelphia Flyers
3601 S. Broad St.
Philadelphia, PA 19148
215-952-5780
bsmith@comcast-spectacor.com