Price continues to make case for Hart Trophy

MONTREAL – It's become difficult to find new and original ways to describe the excellence of Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price this season.

Tampa Bay Lightning captain Steven Stamkos chose the simple approach.

"He's arguably been the best player in the League in helping his team to where they are at this point," Stamkos said after the Lightning defeated the Canadiens 1-0 in overtime on Tuesday. "They're a solid team. They play structured. But their goalie made some big saves."

The momentum for Price to win the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player has been building during the past month or so, and he is doing nothing to slow it down.

Price made 35 saves Tuesday before a Tyler Johnson pass hit the skate of Canadiens defenseman Tom Gilbert and slid into the Montreal net.

It was the first goal Price allowed in more than 150 minutes of play, since Rickard Rakell of the Anaheim Ducks scored at 10:16 of the second period in a 3-1 win against the Canadiens last Wednesday. The Ducks scored an empty-net goal in that game; Price then shut out the Arizona Coyotes 2-0 on Saturday and the Lightning for more than 61 minutes on Tuesday.

And the first goal he gave up went off his own defenseman.

"We knew that going in that he would make those good saves, make those saves that would keep them in the game," Johnson said. "He's just that good a goaltender. Sometimes you might think you have a goal, but he thinks otherwise."

The words coming out of the Lightning dressing room Tuesday have been said by numerous Canadiens opponents this season. Stamkos is not the first person to suggest that Price is the best player in the NHL.

Washington Capitals coach Barry Trotz said the same thing on Feb. 17 when he was asked who he thought was the NHL's best player; he chose Price instead of his own captain, Alex Ovechkin. Florida Panthers coach and former Canadiens assistant Gerrard Gallant agreed with Trotz before facing Price two days later.

"He's been outstanding all year," Gallant said Feb. 19. "I mean, there's no doubt if you had to pick an MVP today, he's probably the guy. There's other guys, Ovechkin and them, having great seasons but what Carey Price has done for this team this year; and last year he had a great year but this year he's been outstanding, so I would think he's the MVP today."

In his past 31 starts, Price has allowed more than two goals three times. His save percentage for the season improved to .937 and his goals against average dropped to 1.87. The numbers are becoming staggering, and the members of the Canadiens who joined the team at the NHL Trade Deadline are getting a firsthand look at what's been going on for quite some time in Montreal.

Carey Price

Goalie - MTL

RECORD: 37-13-4
GAA: 1.87 | SVP: .937

The Canadiens have been criticized all season for relying too much on Price's excellence, and the game Tuesday will not quiet those critics. Montreal was outshot 10-2 in the third period of a scoreless game and 3-0 in overtime, but Price got them a point, one that moved the Canadiens into first place in the overall NHL standings.

Stamkos was not shy in saying that Price was primarily responsible for getting the Canadiens that point, but he made an equally valid argument that bears emphasizing as the Stanley Cup Playoffs approach.

The Canadiens may lean too heavily on Price, but that doesn't change the fact that Price is a member of the team, one who makes that team extremely difficult to beat.

Some might even consider him to be the most valuable member of any team in the League.

"Price made some huge saves and I think it could have been a little different outcome if he wasn't in the net," Stamkos said. "But he's going to be in the net for them, and anytime we play them down the stretch or if we meet in the playoffs, he's going to be there. So we're going to have to find a way."