Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on September 23, has been cleared to resume playing and was assigned to the Syracuse Crunch, the club?s American Hockey League affiliate, club General Manager Scott Howson announced today. Mason, who was Columbus? second pick, 69th overall, in the 2006 Entry Draft, originally suffered the injury last spring playing with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. He went 32-7-3 with 2.51 goals-against average, .916 save percentage and three shutouts in 42 games with London and Kitchener in 2007-08, ranking third in the OHL in wins, fourth in save percentage and fifth in goals-against average and shutouts (tied). He also went 5-0-0 with 1.19 goals-against average, .951 save percentage, and one shutout in five games at the 2008 World Junior Championship, leading Canada to the gold medal and earning top goaltender and tournament MVP honors. The 20-year-old Oakville, Ontario native was named the OHL Goaltender of the Year in 2006-07 when he set a league record for wins as he was 45-13-4 with 3.20 goals-against average, .914 save percentage and two shutouts in 62 games with London (OHL). In 116 career OHL games, he posted a 82-23-7 mark with a 2.90 goals-against average, .916 save percentage and five shutouts.