Price out this week with lower-body injury

BROSSARD, Quebec (AP) Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price will be out at least another week, coach Michel Therrien said Tuesday. The Canadiens are

BROSSARD, Quebec (AP) Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price will be out at least another week, coach Michel Therrien said Tuesday.

The Canadiens are optimistic that last season's Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL's top goaltender and Hart Trophy recipient as MVP won't be out for the long term, however.

Therrien said Price sought a second opinion on his lower-body injury from a doctor in New York on Monday and got the same diagnosis team doctors had given him.

''He was worried a bit,'' Therrien said. ''The good news is it's the same thing as our doctor (diagnosed) in Montreal.

''It's good for him, mentally. There's no worry. He's not going to play this week. We hope he'll be able to get on the ice pretty soon, so this is good news.''

The Canadiens (13-2-1) play only twice this week: Wednesday night in Pittsburgh and Saturday at home against Colorado.

Price has missed five games since suffering the injury in a 4-3 defeat in Edmonton on Oct. 29. Rookie Mike Condon has been spectacular in relief, going 4-0-1 over that stretch with only eight goals allowed.

The 25-year-old Condon is 6-0-1 for the season with a 1.57 goals-against average and .940 save percentage.

''He's taking his first steps in the NHL and he got an opportunity to play more than he probably expected with the injury to Price,'' Therrien said. ''He responded the right way. He's taking the good approach of playing one game at a time.''

Even though he can't play, Price was set to make the flight to Pittsburgh with his father.

Most of his teammates also had their dads on the trip, an annual tradition for many NHL clubs. Condon's father was scheduled to see his son play an NHL game for the first time in Pittsburgh.