Facing elimination, the Philadelphia Flyers will feature a different look in goal Wednesday night when they host the Washington Capitals at Wells Fargo Center for Game 4.
Michal Neuvirth will start for the first time since April 10 and just the second time in the last month, replacing Steve Mason between the pipes for the Flyers.
Mason allowed 12 goals in three games and sports a 4.09 goals-against average and a .852 save percentage this post-season. The 27-year-old surrendered six goals in a Game 3 loss on home ice. Mason was sharp in the series opener, making 29 saves in a loss, but struggled in Game 2 when he allowed a goal to Jason Chimera from 100-feet out.
Philadelphia has scored just two goals through the first three games of the series.
The Flyers hope the change in goal follows a trend that’s worked for the Detroit Red Wings and Anaheim Ducks.
Petr Mrazek usurped Jimmy Howard in the Red Wings’ net following two losses to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mrazek made 16 saves for a shutout in Game 3.
Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau leaned on Frederik Andersen in goal after John Gibson took two losses versus the Nashville Predators. Andersen, too, earned a shutout in his first start of the 2016 playoffs with a 27-save effort Tuesday night.
Neuvirth shared duties with Mason for much of the regular season before a knee injury sidelined him down the stretch. The Czech Republic native finished with an 18-8-4 record to go along with a 2.27 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage in 32 appearances.
A former second-round draft pick of the Capitals, Neuvirth is 4-5 with a 2.30 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage in 10 career post-season appearances.
