A huge storyline in the Eastern Conference finals between the Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers has been injuries, and it all began in Game 1 with Carey Price. The Habs netminder was knocked out of the series in Game 1, but he skated for the first time with full equipment on Tuesday as he tries to work his way back from a suspected knee injury.
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The Canadiens take the ice at Bell Centre Tuesday night without Price while looking for their first home win of this series when they host New York in a do-or-die Game 5 trailing 3-1 in the series. Price made some progress Tuesday, skating with some of his coaches.
NHL.com reports that Price skated for the second straight day on Tuesday but for the first time with full equipment as he works his way back from a lower-body injury after he was barreled over by Chris Kreider in the second period of Game 1 of the best-of-seven series. Price played the rest of that second period before being pulled for the third period and removed from the series.
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Price took a few shots Tuesday and was able to play in the butterfly position, but it's unknown how far away he is from a return after he was ruled out for the series following the Game 1 injury.
Rookie goaltender Dustin Tokarski has started Games 2-4 and is expected to be back manning the crease in Game 5 as he and the Canadiens look to keep the Rangers from clinching their first trip to the Stanley Cup finals since they won it all in 1994.
Price's injury was a major storyline and set the precedent for the series as injuries have dominated the headlines. The Canadiens were up in arms over Kreider running into Price, with coach Michel Therrien describing the play as "reckless."
Rangers center Derick Brassard was injured in Game 1 as well after a hit early in the contest by Mike Weaver caused him to depart the ice with an upper-body injury. Brassard returned for Game 4, but Therrien intimated that the team "knew where he was hurt" and that hockey was "a small world," which the Rangers took as a sign that they may be gunning for Brassard's injury, a claim which the Habs later denied.
Derek Stepan then broke his jaw in Game 3 after a high and late hit by Brandon Prust injured him and caused a need for surgery. Stepan finished out the game but missed Game 4, and he may return with a protective mask for Game 5 Tuesday after participating in New York's morning skate.
Therrien said that Price is still not likely to play in this series that has been clouded with injuries, but at least he's making progress for the Habs, who hope to send the series back to New York for Game 6.
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