Price: Ready to reset

MONTREAL - When you've been minding the Habs' net for 11 seasons and counting, you're bound to break some records along the way - even during the most difficult of seasons. That was the case with Carey Price in 2017-18.

Things got off to a good enough start for Price in the very early goings of the year, at least, as the veteran netminder made 43 saves in a 3-2 shootout win over the Sabres in Buffalo to open the season. But, before getting hurt and missing most of November, Price would collect only two more wins in the 10 games he played following the season opener.
The Anahim Lake, BC native put together an impressive string of wins upon his return - five of them, to be exact - with Price recording a solid 1.20 goals-against average, a .962 save percentage and one shutout during that span. In fact, the 30-year-old collected eight wins in the first 12 games he played beginning on November 25.
Unfortunately, the good times would not keep on rolling. With a perfect storm of injuries - including Shea Weber's season-ending foot injury atop the list - and trouble in the scoring department, too, Price and company could not find their footing and fell further and further out of the playoff race.

It goes without saying that the six-time All Star is ready to turn the page and move on.
"Everybody goes through fatigue in a season; it's a long, hard season. I had a couple of injuries," outlined Price, who was also sidelined with a concussion for 13 games in February and March after taking a puck to the head in a game against the Flyers. "But it's nothing I'm going to be worried about going into next year."
Price would return after getting the green light and play six more games to close out the campaign. He said that getting some games in before the summer helped alleviate any doubts in his head.
Either way, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound netminder was looking forward to spending time out west with his wife Angela and daughter Liv, who will turn two in early May.

"Just get refocused, get re-energized and come back with a fresh mindset," said Price, on his offseason plans.
His efforts to get re-energized were jumpstarted as the season ended. After surpassing Patrick Roy for second place on the Canadiens' all-time games played list among goaltenders in February, Price moved ahead of Jacques Plante to take sole possession of top spot in the Habs' home finale against the Winnipeg Jets. The Bell Centre faithful greeted him with a signature Montreal ovation when the announcement was made, and the gesture was very much appreciated by No. 31.

"It was definitely an emotional moment for myself, I didn't expect it to be. That video and that ovation were something that I really needed. I'm really thankful, and I really appreciated that," admitted Price, who also earned his 40th career shutout on November 25 against Buffalo. "Through all the hard times that we've gone through this year, to have the crowd stand up and show their appreciation really meant a lot to me."
And so while Price surely would've preferred to move ahead of those two Canadiens goaltending legends in a winning season, the fact that it happened when it did allowed him to rekindle his love affair with Habs fans just as he headed off to prepare for the challenge of a new hockey year ahead.
"Next year is a new season," he concluded. "Every year, you don't know how things are going to end, but you go in with the right mindset and with optimism."