Isaac on Flyers: Can Steve Mason be Better in Goal?

VOORHEES - For years, Steve Mason’s goalie partner back in juniors, Adam Dennis, bugged Mason to work with his goalie trainer in the summer. And for whatever reason, Mason never obliged.

This past summer, after the Flyers’ starter marveled at Rob Zepp’s first taste of the NHL last season, Mason decided to do it.

Dave Franco, a goalie coach who worked with Dennis, Zepp and former NHLers Jamie Storr and Cutris Joseph, now has a new fan.

“I’m feeling really, really happy with where my game’s at,” Mason said the day after making 41 saves against the New York Rangers. “This summer was the first summer I worked with a goaltender coach back home. I think that really gave me a solid base coming into camp to feel comfortable with and then another contributing factor is being able to come in and work with Kim (Dillabaugh, the Flyers’ new goalie coach) before camp started. It was the first time in my career that I was able to come into camp and get some solid goalie work in before camp started.”