Updated Status on Price, Gallagher and Weber for Game 1

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T. Tadi
May 16, 2021 (4:36 PM)

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When the Montreal Canadiens face the Toronto Maple Leafs in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup First Round on Thursday, Carey Price, Shea Weber, and Brendan Gallagher are expected to play.

On Saturday, Price, the Canadiens' No. 1 goaltender, and Gallagher, a forward, practiced. Weber, a defenseman, did not participate, but Montreal captain Dominique Ducharme said he expects him to play.

Weber is "skating, training, and will be practicing with us shortly," according to Ducharme.

Price missed 19 of Montreal's final 21 regular-season games, including the last 13. On April 19, he was making his second start after missing six games because of a lower-body injury when he sustained a concussion in a collision with Edmonton Oilers forward Alex Chiasson.

Price was 12-7-5 this season with a 2.64 goals-against average, .901 save percentage (the second-lowest in his 14-season NHL career) and one shutout in 25 starts.

The 33-year-old is the Canadiens playoff leader in games played (707), wins (360) and saves (19,174).

Jake Allen, who made 15 of his 27 starts when Price was out, was 11-12-5 with a 2.68 GAA and .907 save percentage in 29 games in his first season with Montreal.

"A guy like Carey, to have a goalie like him who is capable of making big saves, of weathering the storm in certain parts of a game, it's a source of confidence for our players," Ducharme said.

Gallagher, who missed 21 games with a broken thumb, practiced with usual linemates Phillip Danault, who missed the last three games of the season with a concussion, and Tomas Tatar and said he will "be good to go."

"It doesn't take long for us," Gallagher said. "We spend enough time together so there should be no rustiness. I think everyone's feeling pretty good and hopefully we get back to doing what we do."

Gallagher's line will be tasked with covering Auston Matthews and Mitchell Marner on Toronto's top line.

"When you're on the ice against them we're prepared to compete and just make it as difficult as possible," Gallagher said. "We know how dangerous they are, those two together especially. It's a big focal point for the series obviously, and we're going to try and do a job on them."

Credit: nhl.com