Habs goalies, past and present, meet

There was a cool scene in the Canadiens’ locker-room at Madison Square Garden after Tuesday’s morning skate before Game 4 against the New York Rangers.

While Carey Price was taking off his goalie equipment, Jose Theodore was standing in front of him enjoying a conversation that included a few laughs.

“Nothing special,” Theodore said later when asked what they talked about.

If anyone can relate to the pressure Price is facing now it’s Theodore, who used to be in his position.

“It’s hard to describe,” Theodore said. “It’s our No. 1 sport (in Montreal), our No. 1 team, and as a goalie you’re only as good as your last game, so you just got to be on top of your game every night.”

Price has been on top of his game so far in the playoffs with the Canadiens and Rangers tied 2-2 heading into Game 5 Thursday at the Bell Centre (7 p.m., CBC, TVA Sports, TSN Radio 690). Price has a 1.65 goals-against average and a .942 save percentage, but the Canadiens have scored only one goal in their two losses.

Price and Theodore both won the Hart Trophy as the NHL’s most valuable player and the Vezina Trophy as top goalie in the same season while with the Canadiens. Theodore did it during the 2001-02 season and Price in 2014-15.

Theodore was asked if he was wishing he was back in Price’s locker-room stall during their conversation Tuesday morning.

“Every time I’m at a hockey game you think about the time you were there and it just brings good memories,” said Theodore, who is 40 but looks about 10 years younger. “For sure it’s always fun to be around the hockey players and catch up with some of the guys I played with or played against.”

Theodore still gets to spend a lot of time around players in his current job as an analyst for TVA Sports, which has the French rights for Canadiens playoff games.

Theodore said he didn’t really have any advice for Price in the playoffs.

“At this point, I think he has a lot of experience,” Theodore said. “He’s probably the best goalie in the league. Right now, he’s on top of his game. Just the way he reads plays, his quickness, the way he reacts.

“You look at him and his game is pretty much flawless from what I can see.”

Except for the fact Price can’t score.