The Flyers, Steve Mason & dreaded "upper body injury"

What exactly is an "upper body injury?"

Inquiring minds - probably belonging to Flyers fans - want to know.

Starting goaltender Steve Mason will not be between the pipes again tonight when the Flyers return home to face the Rangers in Game 3 of their opening Stanley Cup playoff series. The Flyers, behind Ray Emery, evened the series and wrested home-ice advantage from the Rangers with a gutty come-from-behind 4-2 win on Sunday.

Immediately after the game the talk turned to who would be in goal when the series resumed tonight at the Wells Fargo Center.

We didn't have to wait long. Mason announced Monday that he would not be able to go. Here's Rob Parent's report.

But exactly what is ailing the goaltender is not exactly clear.

As is their custom, the Flyers are keeping this kind of information top secret, announcing only that Mason is in fact suffering from the aforementioned "upper body injury."

Mason got involved in a pileup and banged his head on the ice during the last week of the regular season.

Is he suffering a concussion?

We don't know. No one is saying. Not the Flyers. Certainly not Mason.

There is the temptation to simply say that he is, then let the team deny it if they want.

Flyers fans are among the most passionate around. They simply live and die with this team. Year in and year out they fill the Wells Fargo Center, playoffs or no playoffs.

Seems like a lousy way to treat them when it comes to injuries.

The truth is they deserve better than what the Flyers are giving them.

For now, they will be to settle for the dreaded "upper body injury."

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