Neuvirth out 7-10 days with lower-body injury
Flyers goaltender Michal Neuvirth will miss 7-10 days with a lower-body injury, according to Flyers general manager Ron Hextall.
Per GM Ron Hextall, G Michal Neuvirth will be out a week to 10 days with a lower-body injury. → http://t.co/9gUwugxr0D
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) February 2, 2016
Neuvirth sustained the injury in Monday’s extended practice. Neuvirth left practice early and did not return. Hextall has not elaborated on the nature of the injury.
Though this is a temporary injury, this is a big blow to the Flyers.
Neuvirth is 11-6-2 in 21 games with the Flyers this season. Neuvirth’s .933 save percentage is the best in the league, and his 2.14 goals-against average is ninth best in the NHL. He had seemingly taken over the starter’s gig leading up to the All-Star break, especially with Steve Mason battling injury concerns of his own, so the timing of this injury is certainly inconvenient. This is especially true considering the Flyers have a very busy February schedule, with 14 games in the next 27 days.
Over the summer, Neuvirth signed a two-year deal with the Flyers with an annual average cap hit of $1.625 million. It is fair to say that he has far exceeded expectations in his first year with the team, especially since he was brought in as the backup netminder. He has been one of the most consistent players on the team, and he has turned in many outstanding performances. Neuvirth has been able to make the “big saves” to keep the Flyers in the game, and he was really starting to get things going headed into the All-Star break.
Mason started for the Flyers in Tuesday night’s 4-2 win against Montreal. The Flyers have recalled Anthony Stolarz from the team’s AHL affiliate. Stolarz has gone 15-10-3 with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage in 29 games with the Phantoms this season. Stolarz played in the AHL All-Star Game Monday night but will serve as Mason’s backup moving forward. The Flyers have four games in the next six days, including a back-to-back against the Rangers and Capitals; it’s likely that Stolarz will make his NHL debut at some point in the next few weeks. He will wear number 65.
Featured Image Credit: Yong Kim-Philly.com
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