Carey Price will make his long-awaited return to the net on Friday in Columbus when he starts for Team Canada against Team USA in a World Cup pre-tournament game.
Price missed the majority of the 2015-16 NHL season with a knee injury. His last game for the Montreal Canadiens was on Nov. 25.
He says he’s 100 percent healthy now. So, deep breaths, Habs fans.
Price is expected to play the entire 60 minutes on Friday. Canada’s two other goalies, Braden Holtby and Corey Crawford, will split Saturday’s pre-tournament rematch against the Americans in Ottawa, according to head coach Mike Babcock.
Canada closes out its pre-tournament schedule next Wednesday in Pittsburgh against Russia. Its first preliminary round game is Saturday, Sep. 17, against the Czech Republic in Toronto.
Related: Price is healthy and ready to go