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Goalie nods: Marquee matchup in Montreal, as Price takes on Dubnyk

Montreal Canadiens v Anaheim Ducks

ANAHEIM, CA - NOVEMBER 29: Carey Price #31 of the Montreal Canadiens looks on during the first period of a game against the Anaheim Ducks at Honda Center on November 29, 2016 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

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Devan Dubnyk leads the NHL in goals against average (1.55) and save percentage (.948).

Carey Price sits third in both those categories, at 1.87 and .936.

As such, it’s hard to expect much offense tonight when Dubnyk and the Wild take on Price and the Habs at the Bell Centre.

Both sides and most fans are bracing for a low-scoring affair between the two best goalies in the league right now (all apologies to Pittsburgh’s Matt Murray who, statistically, is right there with Price and Dubnyk).

Yet to hear Dubnyk explain it, it’s not really him “versus” Price -- because Price remains in a class all by himself.

“He’s the guy everybody is pushing to get to,’’ Dubnyk told the Star-Tribune. “He’s the best. He does it every year. To be able to be talked about in the same sentence as him, it’s exciting for me.’’

Should be a fun one. Unless you like goals.

Elsewhere...

-- Cam Ward, who hasn’t played since Saturday due to Carolina’s postponed game against Detroit on Monday, will get the nod in Buffalo. He’ll be up against Robin Lehner, who had 36 saves in a shootout loss to Florida two nights ago.

-- The slumping Cory Schneider goes for the Devils, who host Philly. No word yet on a Flyers starter yet, but Steve Mason did face 38 shots in last night’s shootout win over Washington. This could be an Anthony Stolarz game.

-- Excellent matchup in Columbus, where the aforementioned Matt Murray starts for Pittsburgh. The Jackets will counter with their star netminder, Sergei Bobrovsky.

-- A night off in Florida for Roberto Luongo, meaning James Reimer gets the call. He’ll take on Tuukka Rask, who was yanked from his last start (a loss to the Isles on Tuesday).

-- Life without Ben Bishop begins for Tampa Bay, who will start Andrei Vasilevskiy at home against the Blues. Jake Allen is in the other net.

-- No surprise that Ottawa is going with Mike Condon, as it’s essentially his net for the foreseeable future. The visiting Ducks have yet to name a starter.

-- Peter Budaj, who continues to exceed expectations as Jonathan Quick’s replacement in L.A., gets another start. He’ll go up against Pekka Rinne, who stopped 31 of 32 shots in a shootout win over the Flyers last time out.

-- Frederik Andersen, who’s played very well lately despite losing three of his last four, goes for the Leafs in Colorado. The slumping Avs counter with Semyon Varlamov.

-- In Vancouver, Ryan Miller gets the call for the second of a two-game series against the Jets (Jacob Markstrom beat them on Tuesday). It looks like Winnipeg will make a switch as well, as Michael Hutchinson gets a turn after Connor Hellebuyck lost two nights ago.