After starting the season opener last Wednesday, Steve Mason has started two of the Flyers three games since.
In Craig Berube's first game, he broke the pattern Peter Laviolette had started all the way through training camp and the preseason. After the game, won almost solely based on that decision, there was a question surrounding one key position for the Flyers.
Steve Mason made his third start of the season in four games, breaking the pattern between he and Ray Emery. Following the game, where Mason stopped 33 of 34 shots by the Florida Panthers.
The Flyers have a pair of games coming up on Friday and Saturday. Mason will start one of those regardless. But what if it is Friday's game against the Phoenix Coyotes, as it appears will happen?
If Mason earns another start on Friday, which would mark his third straight, it would appear that the Flyers are leaning toward the 25-year-old goaltender. Berube insisted both goalies are going to share the workload.
"I'm not worried about it right now," Berube said. "It will play itself out. We're going to need both guys. There's lots of games, lots of back-to-back games and eventually it'll get to where it's going to get."
Mason himself admitted that he is not letting playing time be a distracting. His focus is to be ready when Berube calls on him to start.
"Regardless of what game it is, if you’re going in there that means the coach has confidence in you," Mason said. "To get the back-to-back starts and be able to finally get the first one out of the way is definitely nice.
"That’s up to Chief to decide who goes in. I’ll never go and ask him if I’m playing. I’ll wait to hear from him."
All signs point to another start for Mason on Friday, especially after his play on Tuesday proved to be the deciding factor in the first win for the Flyers.
"Composure in net," Berube said. "He looked real solid. Right on top of things. Saw all the pucks. Just solid. Just looked big in net."
"He played great," Braydon Coburn said. "We needed him to play really good. He definitely stood on his head for us."
"He definitely won us the game," Scott Hartnell said, "and that’s what you need in a goaltender — to win you some games sometimes."
If that's what the Flyers can expect from Mason in goal, it shouldn't be long before the Flyers start going his direction for most of the starts, regardless of how they don't want to admit it now.
Kevin Durso is a contributor for Flyerdelphia. You can follow him on twitter @KDursoPhilsNet.
