After a bumpy pre-season in which Price had to remind fair-weather fans to “chill out” and that team was not going to win the Stanley Cup in September, he rocketed out of the gates with a 6-3-1 record in October. He posted a shutout against Ottawa on October 23rd, and also had a 36-save performance in a victory over the Penguins on October 9th. For his efforts Price was voted by the fans as the Molson Cup winner for the month, beginning a streak that would go almost uninterrupted for the whole season.

November was even stronger month for Price. He put up an 8-4 record that included 3 shutouts and a 4-game winning streak from the 9th to the 16th. One of those shutouts was a 41-save performance against the Philadelphia Flyers. But what will be remembered most of all during that month is Price’s phenomenal save against Chad LaRose of the Hurricanes, a stop that many consider to be the Save of the Year.

Carey Price Robs Chad LaRose (YouTube video)

In December, the Canadiens struggled somewhat, and Price’s record for the month was 5-7-1. Though the month was not his best, there were still some highlights. During a three-game win streak to begin December, Price allowed only three goals on 83 shots, a fantastic .964SV% over that period. It was during this time that voting for the All Star Game was underway, and Price’s name came up regularly as a deserving candidate to participate.

As the calendar changed into 2011, one thing stayed the same: Carey Price was still excellent. With a 5-2-3 record in January, Price solidified his spot among the NHL’s elite and was announced as a participant in his 2nd All Star Game. In a game against the Penguins on January 6th, Price stood tall, stopping all 5 shooters in a shootout and then breaking into a pose to celebrate.

February was another challenging month for Montreal, as Price put up a 4-5-1 record. He did get into his first NHL fight, briefly squaring off against friend and Bruins goalie Tim Thomas. He also got to play in his first outdoor NHL game, as the Canadiens took on the Flames in the Heritage Classic on February 20th. To mark the event, Price donned a special mask inspired by the legendary Jacques Plante.

By the time March rolled around, people were beginning to talk about Price as a candidate for the Vezina and Hart Trophies. He was taking the heavy workload in stride and playing the best hockey of his young NHL life. He put up a 6-2 in the first half of the month, adding two more shutouts, before the Habs slumped in the latter half. His 7-7 record somewhat diminished those awards prospects, but Price was building towards a season that would end up in the Canadiens’ record books.

Price finished off the regular season with three straight wins, including a 41-stop effort against the defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks. He was a perfect 3-0 in April, allowing only 3 goals in those last three games. There was great momentum heading into the playoffs, where the Canadiens would once again square off with their hated nemesis, the Boston Bruins.
That story will be told in an upcoming blog, but first, here are some stats and notable figures about Carey Price’s 2010-11 regular season.

• His 72 appearances set a new team record, previously held by Gerry McNeil & Jacques Plante.
• His 38 wins rank as the 7th best season for a goalie in team history, and is a mark that was not ever reached by the great Patrick Roy.
• The 2147 shots Price faced was a team record, more than 150 more than Jose Theodore faced in 2001-02.
• Price’s 8 shutouts were the most by any Canadiens goalie since Ken Dryden in 1975-76.
• He tied Roberto Luongo for 1st in the NHL in wins with 38.
• Price finished in the Top 10 in the NHL in every major statistical category: 1st in games played (72), 1st in wins (38), 7th in SV% (.923), 10th in GAA (2.35), 3rd in shutouts (8). All of these are career highs.

It was truly a memorable season for Carey Price. The best is yet to come!