Phil Margonis
04-09-2008, 05:46 PM
http://news.therecord.com/Sports/article/334152
Hey, Steve Mason, got a minute?
"No," said the Kitchener Rangers ace goalie as he snuck out of the Aud around 10:30 last night after leaving a 6-2 playoff win over the Sarnia Sting in mid-game with an injury.
Mason walked well into the parking lot. He lugged an orange cooler, likely full of ice to cool down what ails him.
Groin? Thigh? Knee?
No one is saying.
The Sting are ailing too.
They trailed the best-of-seven Ontario Hockey League series three games to nothing. The Rangers can sweep into the third-round with a win in Sarnia tonight at 7:30.
Surely, Mason won't play.
After stopping 100 shots in the first two game en route to Canadian Hockey League goalie of the week honours, Mason came up lame a minute into the second period last night.
He was moving post-to-post.
No one was near him.
His left leg appeared to buckle and he fell over in a heap of pads and gear.
Maybe it's the flu that bugged him last week.
Or maybe it's the groin or leg injury he and the Rangers have denied.
Or perhaps it's a new issue.
Rangers coach Peter DeBoer declined to talk about it. Ditto for trainer Dan Lebold. Rangers winger Mike Mascioli had a Scanners explanation.
"His head exploded," Mascioli said.
Of course, the evidence of Mason's departure through the darkened front entrance of Rangers offices was that his head was still in fact together.
The Sting blew apart.
After Mason left the game, they mustered few chances on replacement Josh Unice. They look ripe for a sweep.
"Mason goes down and we've had a tough time scoring on him and we get seven shots over two periods," said MacQueen, who noted that Unice is hardly chopped liver.
"We had maybe four or five guys who competed."
Unice, who is wearing a new white mask because his painted blue model had a crack in it, is ready to go tonight.
He was ready in relief last night.
"Obviously, seeing Steve go down like that, you're surprised." Unice said.
"You've got to be ready at all times."
Nick Spaling and Mikkel Boedker both had a goal and three assists for the Rangers last night. Matt Halischuk had two goals and one assist.
Matt Pepe and Justin Azevedo also scored for the Rangers. Jamie Arniel and Steven Reese scored for the Sting.
Sting top gun Steven Stamkos had no points.
Hey, Steve Mason, got a minute?
"No," said the Kitchener Rangers ace goalie as he snuck out of the Aud around 10:30 last night after leaving a 6-2 playoff win over the Sarnia Sting in mid-game with an injury.
Mason walked well into the parking lot. He lugged an orange cooler, likely full of ice to cool down what ails him.
Groin? Thigh? Knee?
No one is saying.
The Sting are ailing too.
They trailed the best-of-seven Ontario Hockey League series three games to nothing. The Rangers can sweep into the third-round with a win in Sarnia tonight at 7:30.
Surely, Mason won't play.
After stopping 100 shots in the first two game en route to Canadian Hockey League goalie of the week honours, Mason came up lame a minute into the second period last night.
He was moving post-to-post.
No one was near him.
His left leg appeared to buckle and he fell over in a heap of pads and gear.
Maybe it's the flu that bugged him last week.
Or maybe it's the groin or leg injury he and the Rangers have denied.
Or perhaps it's a new issue.
Rangers coach Peter DeBoer declined to talk about it. Ditto for trainer Dan Lebold. Rangers winger Mike Mascioli had a Scanners explanation.
"His head exploded," Mascioli said.
Of course, the evidence of Mason's departure through the darkened front entrance of Rangers offices was that his head was still in fact together.
The Sting blew apart.
After Mason left the game, they mustered few chances on replacement Josh Unice. They look ripe for a sweep.
"Mason goes down and we've had a tough time scoring on him and we get seven shots over two periods," said MacQueen, who noted that Unice is hardly chopped liver.
"We had maybe four or five guys who competed."
Unice, who is wearing a new white mask because his painted blue model had a crack in it, is ready to go tonight.
He was ready in relief last night.
"Obviously, seeing Steve go down like that, you're surprised." Unice said.
"You've got to be ready at all times."
Nick Spaling and Mikkel Boedker both had a goal and three assists for the Rangers last night. Matt Halischuk had two goals and one assist.
Matt Pepe and Justin Azevedo also scored for the Rangers. Jamie Arniel and Steven Reese scored for the Sting.
Sting top gun Steven Stamkos had no points.