VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Steve Mason said having the Ottawa game “off,” plus an additional day off from practice on Monday did wonders for his still-healing injured right knee.
He had arthroscopic surgery on Feb. 10.
“It’s good, and it’s good for the knee, too,” Mason said. “The knee just hasn’t had the opportunity to completely heal itself. We’ve been playing every other day. It definitely felt good.
“That time we played back-to-back [Boston] and in New Jersey, I didn’t have a good game. Also, the knee didn’t feel 100 percent. It’s always good to have the last day and half to recharge.
“This is always a difficult trip, coming out here with the time change. The travel, and especially a team like the Canucks, who are playing extremely well right now.”
Mason lost again on the road, Tuesday, 4-1. He played very well — again — with 31 saves. Vancouver blew the game open with two goals from Alex Burrows just 17 seconds apart in the third period.
Mason said Tuesday he will need the offseason to get his knee fully healthy.
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“At least a week or a week and a half for everything to heal up,” he said. “You have a day off and then you are back at it the next day.
“Stretching the muscles on the one that are starting to heal and then stretch them again. The knee hasn’t hindered me, but it still has not gotten to the point where it is pain-free.”
Asked whether he felt he came back to the Flyers too early, he replied, “No, it’s fine out there. It’s just the feeling it’s not 100 percent inside it.”