Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Steve Mason will be the starter for Friday's Game 4 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals against the New York Rangers.
The club confirmed the switch from Ray Emery on Thursday.
Mason left his club's 4-3 overtime victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins on April 12 at the second intermission with an upper-body injury and did not return. Late in the period, Pens forward Jayson Megna pushed Philly defenseman Andrew MacDonald into Mason, with the latter sprawled out in his crease for several moments before returning to action.
The exact nature of Mason's malady was not specified, although it kept him out of action until the late stages of Tuesday's 4-1 Rangers' win in Game 3. Subbing for Emery, he stopped all three shots faced in 7:15 of action.
Mason last started a postseason contest on April 23, 2009, giving up six goals on 41 shots as the Red Wings finished off a sweep of the Blue Jackets with a 6-5 decision in Columbus.
Emery went 1-2 with a 3.49 goals-against average and .888 save percentage in the series' first three contests.
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