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Carey Price will be back in goal Friday vs. Islanders

NHL, Montreal Canadiens, New York Islanders

Montreal Canadiens star goalie Carey Price will return Friday in New York against the Islanders, Habs coach Michel Therrien announced Thursday night.

It will be the first start for last season's NHL MVP and Vezina Trophy winner since he sustained a lower-body injury Oct. 29 in Edmonton.

Price had returned to practice, but rookie Mike Condon still got his ninth straight start in Thursday night's 3-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes.

The Canadiens said last week that they did not expect Price to be out long term after he sought a second opinion on his injury from a doctor in New York and got the same diagnosis team doctors had given him.

"He was worried a bit," Therrien said then. "The good news is it's the same thing as our doctor [diagnosed] in Montreal.

"It's good for him, mentally. There's no worry. ... We hope he'll be able to get on the ice pretty soon, so this is good news."

Price is 7-2 with a 2.01 goals-against average this season for Montreal, which leads the Eastern Conference at 14-4-2.

Condon, 25, has gone 5-2-2 in his nine starts, going six games without a regulation loss before dropping two of the past three. He allowed eight goals in five starts after Price was injured but permitted 16 goals in the next four.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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