Flyers goalie Steve Mason says new overtime ‘not very goalie friendly’

Steve Mason never hid his disdain for the shootout. The Flyers goalie often gets irritated watching his team put in a stellar 65 minutes of play only to win or lose – let’s face it, mostly lose – during a glorified skills competition.

Well, Mason hasn’t exactly given the new 3-on-3 overtime format implemented this season his blessing, either.

After allowing a breakaway goal in Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Sabres, the netminder wavered back and forth when asked if he prefers OT over the shootout.

“I don’t know,” Mason said after turning aside 36 shots. “[The new overtime] is not very goalie friendly.”

With so much open ice, both teams are able to create multiple scoring opportunities and the action is literally end-to-end. For a prime example, take Tuesday’s game.

The Flyers had a two-on-one with Sam Gagner and Scott Laughton skating over the blue line. Gagner, who carried the puck into the zone, made a dazzling move but his backhand was stopped by Sabres goalie Chad Johnson, who then followed it up with brilliant pad stop on Laughton’s rebound.

The Sabres countered with a rush and Zemgus Girgenson beat Mason for the game-winner.

“It’s chaos out there,” Mason said. “[Johnson] made a great save and then a couple seconds later they are back on a breakaway. … It’s tough out there. It’s chance after chance and it’s grade A chances. It’s why so many games are ended in overtime. There’s just so many quality chances that eventually a guy is going to score.”

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Teammate Jake Voracek understands Mason’s frustration.

“I don’t think any goalie is [a fan of overtime] to be honest,” Jake Voracek said. “It’s a lot of scoring chances on both sides.”

The goal of the new 3-on-3 overtime is to cut down on games being decided by a shootout. Through the first month of the season, it’s been working league-wide, including for the Flyers.

They have had four of their first eight games head past regulation but only one has gone to a shootout, which the Flyers actually won over the Rangers on Saturday night. They are 1-2 in overtime but Mason has been saddled with both losses – and both ended on breakaways.

“The goaltender is put in a tough spot because he has all kinds of situations coming at him that normally you don’t see on a consistent basis,” Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said. “But in saying that everyone has a role to play and we all have to do that a little bit better.”

While his starting goalie is not a fan of the new overtime, Hakstol favors it over the alternative.

“It’s entertaining there no question,” he said. “I still believe it’s a better way to decide a game than the shootout.”