Hurricanes at Canadiens
Carey Price is the odds-on favorite to claim the Vezina Trophy this season and his name isn't too far removed from the discussion for the Hart Trophy as well. The Montreal Canadiens goaltender likely won't receive too much of an argument from the Carolina Hurricanes as the teams conclude their three-game season series at the Bell Centre on Thursday. Price, who leads the league in victories (38), goals-against average (1.93) and save percentage (.935), has turned aside 53-of-55 shots to win both meetings this season and improve to 8-1-1 in his last 10 contests versus Carolina.
Price received a rare night off as Montreal claimed a 3-2 victory over Florida on Tuesday to move two points ahead of idle Tampa Bay atop the Atlantic Division. Defenseman P.K. Subban scored the go-ahead goal late in the second period and has recorded a point in three of his last four contests. While the Canadiens have won just three of their last nine games (3-4-2), the struggling Hurricanes are faring no better as their 2-1 overtime loss to Ottawa on Tuesday resulted in their sixth setback in eight contests (2-4-2).
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, RDS (Montreal), Fox Sports Carolinas
ABOUT THE HURRICANES (26-34-9): Anton Khudobin is slated to make his third straight start with fellow goaltender Cam Ward under the weather. "Dobby was huge for us. He made some pretty nice saves," said Jeff Skinner, who recorded his 100th career assist on Elias Lindholm's goal Tuesday. With John-Michael Liles ruled out with a lower-body injury, fellow defenseman Danny Biega was recalled from Charlotte of the American Hockey League on Wednesday and could make his NHL debut against his hometown team.
ABOUT THE CANADIENS (44-20-7): Alex Galchenyuk recorded his first career hat trick in a 4-1 win over Carolina on Dec. 16, but has just one goal and one assist in his last 11 games. The 21-year-old resides one tally shy of the 20-goal plateau and one-point short of 100 for his career. Max Pacioretty, who has recorded 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 16 career meetings with the Hurricanes, notched three assists in the first meeting before scoring a goal in a 3-1 win on Dec. 29.
OVERTIME
1. Canadiens rookie LW Jacob De La Rose collected a goal and an assist on Tuesday, marking his first points since tallying twice versus Columbus on Feb. 26.
2. Carolina captain Eric Staal has recorded 38 points (19 goals, 19 assists) in 38 meetings with Montreal.
3. The Canadiens are just 3-for-30 on the power play in their last 11 games.