Canadiens goalie out for at least one week

Price suffers lower-body injury

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price will miss at least a week due to a nagging lower-body injury.

Price played the first 40 minutes in a 5-1 victory over the New York Rangers on Wednesday night but did not return for the third period.

Head coach Michel Therrien said Thursday that Price has been put on the injured list.

Wednesday night, the coach said the lower-body injury was the same one that kept Price out for nine games earlier this season.

“The medical staff was really comfortable and Carey was really comfortable to come back,” Therrien said. “If we had any doubt, for sure, we would not take that risk. That’s all we can say about it. He tweaked it again tonight. That’s why we don’t want to take any chance. It’s still early in the season, so it’s important for us when he plays, he’s got to make sure he is healthy.”

Price won the Ted Lindsay, Jennings, Vezina and Hart trophies last season. He was the first goaltender in NHL history to win all four awards in the same campaign.

He has a 10-2-0 record this season with two shutouts and a goals-against average of 2.06.

Price gave up one goal on 23 shots against the Rangers.

The Canadiens will rely on Mike Condon to minimize the impact of Price’s absence. The rookie has a 7-2-2 mark and a GAA of 2.16.

Montreal (17-4-2) visits New Jersey on Friday night.