Monday, May 19, 2014

Habs Rolling Back Price From the Series

Although the Canadiens coaching staff suggested that pulling Carey Price in Game One of the series, after the 2nd period had concluded, was not injury related, the news on Monday morning suggests otherwise.

Price appeared to have suffered the injury when Rangers forward Chris Kreider collided with the keeper on a rush, where he lost his footing and took out Price's right leg.  The injury is believed to be the knee, but we'll have to wait and see what more comes of it.

The team announced in the morning skate presser that Price will not only miss tonight's Game Two of the series against the Rangers, but that he is not expected to play in the remainder of the series, leaving the job up to Peter Budaj and/or Dustin Tokarski.  Clearly, a huge loss to the framework of the success of this year's Montreal team.  Of course, there won't be any word on the injury itself until after the playoffs conclude for the Canadiens.

Price has accounted for all 8 wins that the Canadiens have in these playoffs and has included a shutout in this post-season, giving him 18 points in the hockey pool, putting him in a tie for 4th in pool scoring and was in the running for top goalie honours, assuming that Montreal could bounce back from their Game One loss and go on to win the series.

Price was taken seven times in the hockey pool, but none of those picks appear in the top 10 in the pool standings.  Remarkably, Henrik Lundqvist, Price's counterpart in the series, appears once in the top 10, Gus M.'s first team, which could end up being the biggest benefactor of this injury.

Game Two goes tonight (Monday) in Montreal, 6pm MT start on CBC.

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