Price: 'You can't worry about the fall if you're going to ride the horse'

BROSSARD - After being sidelined with a concussion for the last month, Carey Price will get the start in goal on Wednesday night in Pittsburgh.

It will mark the 30-year-old goaltender's first start since February 20 in Philadelphia, when he took a shot to the mask that caused the injury.
The 11-year NHL veteran has been chomping at the bit to return to active duty as his recovery progressed.
"You don't know how long those types of things are going to take. As an athlete, you want to get back in there as soon as possible," said Price, who served as Antti Niemi's backup during Monday night's 2-0 loss to the Florida Panthers at the Bell Centre. "I wouldn't be playing [on Wednesday night] if I was nervous about the condition of my head. I'm very confident... The old saying back home is 'You can't worry about the fall if you're going to ride the horse.'"
Even if the Canadiens' remaining games have no playoff implications, Price is still eager to deliver the goods in between the pipes in order to close out the 2017-18 campaign on a solid note.
"I just want to give a good effort and stay positive throughout the rest of the season," insisted Price, who holds a 15-22-6 record on the year, along with a 2.98 goals-against average and a .904 save percentage. "We have a lot of young guys in the lineup. We don't have high expectations, but we want to make sure that we do give a really good effort. Right now, that's what really matters."

Durin his post-practice press conference, head coach Claude Julien was pleased to be able to confirm that his starter was fully healthy and prepared to battle a Penguins squad that boasts a 26-8-1 record on home ice.
"Carey absolutely wants to play. He wants to do everything he can to finish strong," said Julien, on having Price back at full-strength. "We want to see Carey in our net."
As do his teammates, who were excited to learn that the six-time All-Star was finally good to go again.
"We know what kind of goalie he is. He's an elite goalie. When I got here, he wasn't playing and I saw the difference when he was playing, too. It was fun to watch," mentioned Nicolas Deslauriers. "He's one of the veterans who has been in the organization for a long time and it's fun to see him out there."
That being said, Niemi has been absolutely outstanding in Price's absence - and Julien knows it, as does the rest of the group.
"The guys are very confident when Antti's in goal. He also inspires this team," explained the Canadiens' bench boss. "The difference is that Carey has the pedigree. He won a lot. He's one of the best, if not the best goaltender in the world, so this just helps our situation in goal. Right now, I don't think goaltending is really the problem."
Reflecting on a rough season
In addition to addressing questions regarding Price's return, Julien was also asked if he'd ever experienced similar struggles with another team over the course of his coaching career.
The 2000-01 campaign with the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs was the one that came to mind - and in retrospect, it proved to be an important one for Julien going forward.
"We didn't have a big team that year, but I'd say that year is the one that helped me grow the most. In tough times, you learn a lot about yourself and the people around you. Even if the losses were tough for everyone to accept, including our fans, it's a year where I had the chance to become a better coach," explained Julien, whose squad posted just 28 wins that year and failed to make the playoffs. "It gives you the chance to deal with situations that you don't often encounter."

Julien believes his young guns in Montreal can learn equally valuable lessons from their current struggles, too.
"The glass is half full because you're giving an opportunity to youngsters that wouldn't have had a shot, and the glass is also half full because they're being put in situations that they shouldn't be in," concluded Julien. "At the same time, you're hoping that these experiences will be beneficial for the future."