Carey Price Out For Rest of Week
The Montreal Canadiens will have to do without all world goaltender Carey Price just a little bit longer. Price had an evaluation on the lower body injury that sidelined him early last week and the verdict was another week on the shelf. A second opinion confirmed that diagnosis.
The Canadiens can afford to be careful with their Hart and Vezina Trophy winning netminder due to the play of backup Mike Condon. The Massachusetts native has been monstrous in net all year long and hasn’t slipped with the increased workload. He was named one of the NHL’s Three Stars of the week this week. Condon posted a 2-0-1 record with a 1.66 goals-against average and .934 save percentage in his temporary role as Montreal’s starting goaltender. The 25 year old made his NHL debut on October 11 and has yet to lose in regulation with a 6-0-1 record with a 1.57 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.
Coach Michel Therrien tried to spin the updated timeline as good news: “Carey was not responding all that well to treatment so he was a bit worried. So he asked to get a second opinion on his injury. He went to see the doctor yesterday in New York, and the good news is he got the same diagnosis. We see that as very good news. He won’t play this week but we expect him to respond better to treatment and to be able to get back on his skates and back in net for us pretty soon.”
The Canadiens have been very tight lipped about the actual nature of Price’s ‘lower body injury’ and Therrien offered no new details: “We’re fighting against the competition. Why would we give an advantage to the competition? I see no positive in saying exactly what it is.”
The Canadiens are off to their best 16 game start in franchise history–and given the fact that they’re the most successful franchise in NHL history that’s saying something. Montreal is 13-2-1 at this point in the season and have opened up a 10 point lead in the Atlantic Division over second place Ottawa. They’re also leading the Eastern Conference by 5 points over the Metro Division leading New York Rangers.