Neuvirth to start Game 4 in goal for Flyers; Hakstol juggles top line

Michal Neuvirth is in. Steve Mason is out.

Neuvirth will start in goal Wednesday night in Game 4 of the opening-round playoff series against Washington at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Czech Republic native will make his first start of the playoffs against his former team, which has a three-games-to-none lead and can clinch the series with a win. The Capitals have outscored the Flyers, 12-2, including 8-0 on the power play.

"I think it's a good time for a change for our team going into this game," coach Dave Hakstol said after the morning skate in Voorhees. "I believe Neuvy is the guy who can go in for us in this situation and do a great job."

Hakstol said his decision to use Neuvirth over Steve Mason was "not a negative to Mase. It's about winning Game 4. Pure and simple."

At the morning skate, the Flyers also changed their struggling first line, whose members have combined for one point in the series. They also changed two other lines at practice, and new lines will probably be used in Wednesday's game.

Brayden Schenn, who had been centering the second line, replaced Jake Voracek at left wing on the top unit, while Michael Raffl centered the second line, between Voracek and Sam Gagner.

"Something had to be done; we've scored two goals in three games," Voracek said.

Ryan White was shifted from right wing to center on the fourth line, replacing the suspended Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. Colin McDonald joined the line at right wing.

Though bothered by injuries that took him out of the lineup, Neuvirth, 28, had a career season, compiling an 18-8-4 record, a 2.28 goals-against average and .924 save percentage. After registering a 3-2 win in Chicago on March 16, Neuvirth was injured and made just one start in the last 13 regular-season games: the season finale against the Islanders.

He has made just one start in the last month.

Mason played the first three games of this series. Mason was brilliant in the opener, a 2-0 loss, but struggled in Games 2 and 3.

Hakstol said Mason took the news that he was benched "great. I mean, obviously he wants to play, but he's a great teammate. There's absolutely no question there. His reaction is 'whatever is best for the team.' "

Mason has the NHL's worst save percentage in the playoffs (.852). He has a .922 even-strength save percentage in the three games and a .714  save percentage in shorthanded situations.

The Flyers are 1-9 as far as winning a series when trailing three games to none. They have won only two of nine Game 4s in those situations.

"Our team's ready; we've been in this situation a lot throughout the year," said Hakstol, whose team was nine points out of a playoff spot in early January. "Our team is absolutely ready."

Snider ceremony. Thursday's ceremony to celebrate Ed Snider's life, which will be held at the Wells Fargo Center at 1 p.m., will be televised live by Comcast SportsNet and streamed on the Flyers' website.

Snider, 83, the Flyers' chairman and co-founder, died April 11 after a two-year battle with bladder cancer.

The doors to the Wells Fargo Center will open at 11:30 a.m. The tribute is expected to last about 90 minutes.