1. Michal Neuvirth has started two games for the Philadelphia Flyers. He has two shutouts.
2. People are now stringing the words “goalie” and “controversy” together when discussing the Flyers’ situation in the crease. (Go search Twitter for “goalie controversy” and see for yourself. Or look at the post-game, where members of the Philadelphia media prodded Neuvirth with questions about being promised more minutes when he signed here.)
3. No. They shouldn’t do this.
4. Since 2012-13, Steve Mason has a combined .920 save percentage in 134 games played. Michal Neuvirth has a combined .917 … but has only played 63 games. Steve Mason has proven over a years-long period of time that he’s the better goaltender.
5. The Flyers have a clear No. 1 goaltender and a clear No. 2 goaltender this season. This has been the plan for months.
6. Steve Mason, the No. 1, had one good game in the season opener and one bad game on Saturday night in Florida. He’s dealing with some personal issues, and they may or may not be related to that bad game. One bad game is not enough to deviate from a months-long plan.
7. The Flyers have five complete days off until their next game. If Neuvirth is on a hot streak right now, it’s safe to assume that hot streak will be halted by a five-day break. Because that’s how hot streaks work.
8. Steve Mason will probably be the starting goaltender on Tuesday night when the team plays again, because he is the starting goalie and it will have been nine days since he last played.
9. “Goaltending controversies” become real when patterns develop. When a month goes by and Mason is still falling apart and Neuvirth is still standing on his head, then we can talk. Two games does not a controversy make.
