UPDATE: Price (lower-body) will NOT travel to Buffalo
March 16th: After stopping 30 of 34 shots in a 5-4 OT win over the Senators in his return last night, Price will not accompany the team to Buffalo because the Habs want him to rest up for Tuesday’s clash with the Colorado Avalanche. Tonight, Peter Budaj will get the call in goal for Montreal.
March 15th: After missing the last eight games with a lower-body injury, Price will return to the Canadiens crease tonight vs. the Senators. He has gone 1-1-1 with a 3.64 GAA and .891 SV% in three meetings with the Sens this season.
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Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price had his best day of practice on Friday and could return to the net on Saturday.
Price has missed the last eight games with a lower-body injury that he suffered and played through en route to an Olympic Gold medal in Sochi, Russia. Following this morning’s practice Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien would not divulge his starting netminder for Saturday. However, he did say that Price is “progressing every day, but today was definitely his best day.”
After an unreal Olympics, the Habs can not wait to have their number-1 goaltender back. With Price out, Montreal has gone 3-4-1, but have lost three in a row while looking completely out of sync. If Price returns and the Canadiens start winning again, he has to be in the conversation for the Hart Memorial Trophy. The Hart Trophy is awarded to the “player judged to be most valuable to his team“, and it has become glaringly obvious how valuable the 26-year-old is to the Habs.
Montreal hosts the Senators tomorrow at 7 p.m ET so they should hit the ice for their pre-game skate between 10-11 a.m ET. If Price leaves the ice first there is a good chance that he will start. Coach Therrien will address the media after the skate, when his starter will likely be announced. If it is Price, he has gone 1-1-1 with a 3.64 GAA and .891 SV% in three meetings with the Sens this season.
Lehtonen will not dress Friday
Stars netminder Kari Lehtonen (concussion) skated for the second straight day this morning, but will not suit up tonight as Tim Thomas gets the start vs. the Flames. Lehtonen is reportedly close to returning, so keep an eye on him leading up to Sunday’s game in Winnipeg.
Anderson still not skating with Senators
Ottawa Senators starter Craig Anderson (undisclosed) has not resumed skating since being run over by his teammate Milan Michalek in Monday’s overtime loss to the Predators. The Sens recalled Nathan Lawson this morning, and he will backup Robin Lehner in Saturday’s game vs. the Canadiens. Anderson is expected to skate tomorrow, but at this point there is very limited information as to when Anderson is expected to return.