Injury keeping Canadiens goalie Carey Price out until at least February

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price will remain sidelined until at at least the All-Star break with a lower-body injury.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price will remain sidelined until at at least the All-Star break with a lower-body injury. 

Canadiens coach Michel Therrien told media on Friday that it would be a “surprise” if he were back before the end of January. 

Price played in 12 games prior to his November 25 injury at Madison Square Garden against the Rangers.  In his absence goalies Mike Condon, Ben Scrivens and recently traded Dustin Tokarsji have manned the net, backstopping the team to a 6-12-1 record since Price’s injury. Montreal currently sits at 23-16-6, third in the Atlantic Division.

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Therrien explained the difficulty of losing one of the league's best in net for an extended period, saying, “As well all know, he’s got an important role on the team. You can replace your No. 1 goalie for a short period of time but in the long run it’s tough.” 

The Canadiens will try to hold down the fort as they sit in their place in their division until Price can rejoin the team and possibly return Montreal to early-season form. 

-- Nate Mata