Just a day after being named to Team Canada's 16-man preliminary roster for the World Cup of Hockey, Price was back on the ice in full equipment, facing shots for the first time since suffering the ailment.
There's still no timetable for his return, but it appears as though last year's Hart Trophy winner is another step closer to returning to the crease for the Montreal Canadiens.
The 28-year-old posted an impressive record of 10-2-0 with a 2.06 GAA and .934 save percentage before going down with the injury.
On Jan. 20, the Los Angeles Kings were cruising atop the Pacific Division, with 61 points and a cushy nine-point lead over the San Jose Sharks. The Arizona Coyotes occupied third place in the division, while the struggling Anaheim Ducks sat outside of a playoff spot, 16 points back of their division-leading rivals.
The Kings have seen their lead atop the Pacific evaporate completely, sitting tied with the Ducks at 78 points with just 20 games remaining. To put the improbable shift into context, Anaheim has managed to make up 16 points in just 18 games.
Team
On Jan. 20
Since Jan. 20
Los Angeles Kings
29-13-3
8-8-1
Anaheim Ducks
19-8-7
16-1-1
The Ducks are without a doubt the hottest team in the league right now, sporting a record of 16-1-1 - highlighted by nine consecutive victories - over the past six weeks. They've received help from the Kings, as well.
Here's how Anaheim's impressive resurgence occurred:
The Perron-Hagelin Trade
The Ducks traded forward Carl Hagelin to the Pittsburgh Penguins for forward David Perron on Jan. 16. The exchange paid immediate dividends, sparking a significant change in Anaheim.
Perron recorded points in five of his first six games with the Ducks, and has continued to produce at an impressive clip. After recording just four goals and 12 assists in 43 games with the Penguins, the 27-year-old has tallied seven goals and 10 assists over 19 contests in Anaheim.
With the sudden addition of a near point-per-game producer, the Ducks were able to split up stars Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, creating a much more well-rounded top six. It also allowed iron man Andrew Cogliano to drop down a spot, forming a solid third line.
First half of the season, Ducks averaged 1.85 goals/game, last in NHL. Since All-Star break, averaging 3.69, first in NHL.
The trade has benefited the team's top players. This is best exemplified in Getzlaf's resurgence since Perron joined him on the No. 1 unit:
Players
Games
Goals
Assists
Points
Ryan Getzlaf
19
6
20
26
Corey Perry
19
10
8
18
David Perron
19
7
10
17
Ryan Kesler
19
5
10
15
Rickard Rakell
19
7
7
14
Sami Vatanen
19
3
9
12
With a 16-2-1 record - including a loss in the first game - since Perron joined the lineup, the Ducks are a much better team than they were with Hagelin. They should be even better with the trade-deadline additions of Jamie McGinn and Brandon Pirri.
The Kings Have Stopped Scoring
The Kings have indirectly done their part to contribute to the Ducks' resurgence. They've been treading water for well over a month, and have a disappointing record of 8-8-1 over their last 17 games. An alarming trend has developed during their recent stretch of mediocre play: They can't seem to put the puck in the back of the net.
Los Angeles has scored just 12 goals in its last eight games. In fact, the club's five leading point producers - Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, Tyler Toffoli, Jeff Carter, and Milan Lucic - have combined for just three goals during that span. This low-scoring trend dates back to Jan. 20:
Player
Games
Goals Since Jan. 20
Anze Kopitar
16
5
Drew Doughty
17
3
Tyler Toffoli
17
2
Jeff Carter
17
2
Milan Lucic
17
2
Jonathan Quick has been solid, leading the Kings to four wins in their last five games, despite them averaging just two goals during that stretch. But their scoring woes are an indication they could very well continue to fall in the standings, perhaps even below the Sharks, who are four points back.
The Ducks and Kings will play each other in two more games before the end of the season, beginning Saturday in Los Angeles. If the past six weeks serve as any indication, Anaheim appears primed to win the Pacific for the fourth year in a row since the lockout-shortened season in 2012-13.
If the trend continues for the final 20 games of the season, Los Angeles will face a tough opening-round matchup versus San Jose, while Anaheim would very likely go up against a more favorable opponent in the Nashville Predators. While it's no easy consolation, it's a stunning and unlikely outcome of an amazing resurgence.
Gibson earned his fourth straight win and seventh victory in his last nine games, while the Ducks improved to 35-19-8 and 16-1-1 in their last 18 contests.
Alex Galchenyuk provided all of the offense for the Canadiens in regulation, and the 22-year-old forward now has five goals in his last four games.
Ducks forward Jamie McGinn scored his first goal with Anaheim since being acquired from the Buffalo Sabres on Monday.
The Canadiens lost their second straight game and third in the last five.
Crawford set a new career high with his 34th win of the season, accomplishing the feat with 18 games remaining.
He improved to 34-16-3, breaking his previous career high of 33 victories set in his first full season back in 2010-11.
Patrick Kane tied a career high of his own, notching his 88th point of the season with an assist on Artemi Panarin's second goal of the game late in the third period.
The Red Wings won't have to wait long to exact some revenge, as they'll travel to the United Center in Chicago for a rematch on Sunday.
The veteran winger, acquired from the Winnipeg Jets in advance of the NHL's trade deadline, scored his first goal with the club since the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, from which the Blackhawks emerged victorious.
A few more of these could help Chicago to another happy ending.
He accomplished the feat in his 1,341st game, doing so in 60 fewer contests than Wilson. The Capitals bench boss is now 24 wins from Mike Keenan, who ranks eighth all-time.
Trotz is one of four active coaches in the top nine:
Rank
Head Coach
Wins
Games
1
Scotty Bowman
1244
2141
2
Joel Quenneville
793
1439
3
Al Arbour
782
1607
4
Ken Hitchcock
745
1388
5
Dick Irvin
692
1449
6
Lindy Ruff
690
1394
7
Pat Quinn
684
1400
8
Mike Keenan
672
1386
9
Barry Trotz
649
1341
10
Ron Wilson
648
1401
Many of these coaches earned their wins in the three-outcome era (wins, losses, and ties), but Trotz's milestone is impressive nonetheless.
That's unfortunate for USA general manager Dean Lombardi, but there are plenty of reliable options for the remaining spots.
Here are the seven players who should be added before the final roster deadline on June 1:
Forwards
Phil Kessel
He's had a disappointing campaign - by his standards - in his first season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but Kessel absolutely deserves a spot on this team.
The 28-year-old already has five 30-goal seasons on his resume, and he's represented the United States in two Olympic Games, three World Championships, and two under-21 World Junior Hockey Championships.
Kessel is one of the USA's best pure scoring options, and his experience on the international stage makes him a no-brainer.
Kyle Okposo
Okposo is one of the most consistent American playmakers when healthy, and he's tied for fifth among U.S.-born skaters this season with 48 points in 59 games.
He's represented his country at three World Championships and two World Junior Hockey Championships.
Bobby Ryan
Ryan is another remarkably consistent scorer who's played for Team USA in the Olympics, World Championships, and the world juniors.
Although a lot of right wingers have a similar resume, the U.S. should prioritize skill over preferred position.
Brandon Dubinsky
He's not a prototypical offensive force, but the Columbus Blue Jackets center brings a blend of skill and sandpaper to the American squad, which already features Justin Abdelkader and Ryan Kesler.
Dubinsky can get under the skin of opponents, and he has a long history with Sidney Crosby. Lombardi clearly added Abdelkader and Kesler with physicality in mind, and Dubinsky would round out an imposing grind line.
Defensemen
Keith Yandle
Yandle is tied for third among American defensemen with 35 points this season, and he hasn't posted an even-strength Corsi For percentage below 50 since 2008-09.
The New York Rangers blue-liner drives possession and provides stability on the back end.
Justin Faulk
Faulk is tied for the league lead in power-play goals among defensemen, and he'll be 24 on March 20, meaning the Carolina Hurricanes defender should be eligible to play for the U.S. in this tournament.
Kevin Shattenkirk
Shattenkirk ranks sixth in points among American blue-liners with 33 in 56 games, and he's on pace to surpass the 40-point plateau for the third straight season.
The St. Louis Blues defenseman is no stranger to the U.S. national program, representing his home nation in three previous tournaments.
In only his second game with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the 22-year-old winger fired a wrist shot off the crossbar and behind Washington Capitals netminder Philipp Grubauer for his first career goal.
The Washington Capitals welcomed Brooks Laich back to the Verizon Center with a video tribute during a TV timeout Wednesday, which drew a standing ovation from the fans.
A visibly emotional Laich demonstrated his appreciation to the Capitals faithful with a raising of the stick and a clap of the mitts.
Laich, who was playing his second game for the Toronto Maple Leafs following a trade on Feb. 28, had played all but two of his 744 career games with the Capitals coming into Wednesday's contest.
