BROSSARD, Quebec -- Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price took part in practice Monday and said if he wakes up Tuesday morning feeling good he should be able to face the Nashville Predators that evening.
"We'll see in the morning," Price repeated at least four times when asked whether he will face the Predators.
Price missed the Canadiens' 6-4 win Saturday against the New York Islanders with an upper-body injury he sustained in a collision with Chris Calvert of the Columbus Blue Jackets on Jan. 14. Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty pushed Calvert from behind as he was breaking in on goal, and Price's back was driven into the goalpost in the ensuing collision.
"I had a lingering problem before that and this kind of compounded the issue," Price said. "We thought it best to just take a couple of days and get it better."
Price was named to the 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Game to be held in Columbus on Sunday. With the All-Star break coming up after the game against the Predators, there was the potential to get additional days off, but Price said the points on the table against Nashville on Tuesday are too valuable to pass up if he's physically able to play.
"With how important games are and how close the top of the standings are, you don't want to be sitting out too many games because they could be important at the end of the season," he said.
Price has been an all-star three times previously and considers it important to be at the festivities. Not only that, he said he enjoys it.
"It's something that you're very proud of at the end of your career, to be able to take part in these events," Price said. "It's a privilege to go to these things. Obviously having a little bit more time off would be nice, but at the end of the day it's an honor to go to an All-Star Game."
Forward PA Parenteau missed practice with concussion symptoms, the Canadiens said. Parenteau sustained a concussion Jan. 2 against the New Jersey Devils, missed three games, then returned to play against the Blue Jackets and Senators before missing the Islanders game.