Star goaltender Price practises with Canadiens for first time since November

TAMPA, Fla. – Montreal goaltender Carey Price practised with the team before the Canadiens’ game Thursday night at Tampa Bay.

It was his first full practice session since suffering a lower-body injury on Nov. 25.

“I didn’t try to shoot to hard or pick too many corners,” captain Max Pacioretty said with a laugh. “But it’s good to see him get out there. The tempo of practice is different from skating on your own, so the mindset for the guys is to get him back into it and let him feel the puck … and from what I saw he looked sharp.”

Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said he’s hopeful that Price plays in a game before the season ends, but would not provide a timetable for the goaltender’s return.

“He’s working hard, it’s not to get ready for September that’s for sure,” Therrien said. “He wishes to come back, but he’s got to be 100 per cent and we’ll let Carey decide when he’s going to feel good about it.”

Montreal, which is out of the playoff picture, has five games left in the regular season.

Price won the Hart Trophy last year as the N-H-L’s most valuable player and was off to a terrific start this season, going 10-2-0 with a 2.06 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage before suffering his second injury of the season in November.

Montreal started the season with nine straight wins, but quickly fell out of contention without their superstar goaltender.