Habs’ Price sidelined for Rangers series
A shock wave too big to be measured on the Richter scale hit Montreal on Monday morning with the announcement that Canadiens goaltender Carey Price will not play again in the Eastern Conference final against the New York Rangers.
Price suffered an injury to his right leg when Chris Kreider plowed into him at 3:15 of the second period in Game 1 on May 17. Price finished the period, but was replaced by Peter Budaj for the third period of the Rangers’ 7-2 victory.
A solemn head coach Michel Therrien delivered the bad news at a news conference following the Canadiens’ morning skate in Brossard, Que., on Monday.
“You know what, Carey Price won’t be able to play tonight, not only for tonight, but for the rest of that series,” Therrien said. “(I’m) really disappointed. He’s our best player.”
Therrien had another surprise when he went on to talk about the incident. After Saturday’s game, the coach was willing to give Kreider the benefit of the doubt and said the play was an accident. But Therrien made a 180-degree turn Monday.
“Looking at the incident, you know, it’s a reckless play, that’s the truth,” Therrien said. “And Kreider, this is not the first time he’s going at goalies, so (you) end up losing your best player.
“But our group faced a lot of adversity through the course of the season and we respond and we’ve got the attitude to respond really well, and this is what I’m expecting starting tonight.”
Kreider denied Monday that he was trying to run Price and said he had only one regret about the play.
“I wish I would’ve put it in the net,” he said. “Obviously, I was trying to score a goal. I put it wide. It was a bang-bang play.”
“I don’t give it much mind,” Kreider added, when told of Therrien’s comment. “I’m worried about what my coach thinks and what the guys on our team think. … When you try to get to the net, obviously they’re going to try to keep you from getting to the net, so there’s going to be conflict. There’s going to be physical altercation.”
Kreider said he wasn’t worried about the possibility of being targeted by the Canadiens.
“I’m going to play my game, play hard, and try to get to the net,” Kreider said. “I’m here to play my game and play hard, and I think I’m a clean player. I don’t go out with the intent to hurt anyone ever, so I’m going to continue to try and get to the net and score goals.”
Therrien elected to start Dustin Tokarski, a Humboldt native who spent most of the season with the Hamilton Bulldogs in the American Hockey League, over backup Peter Budaj in Game 2, but was coy with reporters in the hours before puck drop.
During the morning skate, Tokarski occupied the crease usually filled by Price. When asked what Tokarski has shown the coach this season, Therrien replied: “Honestly, I like your question, but I’m not here to talk about players right now. We’re here to talk about our team.
“Obviously, we’ve got two guys that we’ve got confidence in, so we’ll let you know tonight.”
Tokarski’s resume is similar to Price’s, with exceptions. Price was a highly touted first-round NHL draft pick, while the Tampa Bay Lightning selected Tokarski in the fifth round in 2008. They both led Canada to gold medals at the world junior championship and both won the Calder Cup in the AHL. Tokarski also won a Memorial Cup in junior with Spokane.
Rangers coach Alain Vigneault refused to be dragged into the discussion over the Kreider incident. Vigneault described Kreider as an honest hockey player, and when he was asked whether it was a reckless play replied: “It was a hockey play.”