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Therrien pulled Price ‘more to protect him than anything’

Carey Price

Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) watches from the bench during the third period in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals in the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs in Montreal on Saturday, May 17, 2014. The Rangers won 7-2. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz)

AP

Carey Price’s departure after two periods in the Montreal Canadiens’ 7-2 loss to the New York Rangers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final was enough to put a scare into Habs fans all over.

Early in the second period, Price was run into by Rangers forward Chris Kreider after he was tripped up on a break towards the net. Price got up wobbly but finished the period but allowed four goals overall, two of them coming late in the second.

Following the game, Canadiens coach Michel Therrien explained what he thought of the collision and why he pulled Price.

“I think it was accidental, honestly,” Therrien said. “The fact that he didn’t play in the third period, that was more to protect him than anything, because we were not sharp in front of him.”

While that explains why he took him out, whether or not Price is injured is still unknown. The team wasn’t playing well in front of Price or Peter Budaj who replaced him, but the Habs played a mostly strong second period aside from the late goals.

Seeing a goalie yanked in a 4-1 game doesn’t generally happen, at least not in these playoffs loaded with comebacks, but after the collision with Kreider it’s probably for the best to let him take a seat. This just makes tomorrow’s practice a must-see situation as to whether or not Price hits the ice.

Here’s video of the collision if you missed it:

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