MONTREAL - Carey Price returned triumphant from Florida with a shootout win and a shutout victory but also brought back some flu-like symptoms that will leave him on the sidelines tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers (6-8-1).
Backup Peter Budaj will replace Price between the pipes for the Saturday night tilt at the Bell Centre, while fellow Czechoslovakian-born goalie, Hamilton Bulldogs' netminder Robert Mayer, 23, will serve as Budaj's backup.
Budaj, 30, will be starting his third game this season and is hoping to rack up his first victory after going 0-1-1 with a .866 save percentage this season.
The Canadiens (8-4-1), coming off road victories against the Lightning and Panthers, are facing off against a Philadelphia Flyers team that coughed up a 3-1 lead Friday in New Jersey, ultimately losing 4-3 in regulation.
The Canadiens are expected to mix their lines in hopes of turbocharging the members of last year’s top-scoring trio.
Rookie phenom Alex Galchenyuk, who set up the overtime game winner against the Panthers, will be lining up alongside the struggling Erik Cole, while speedy rookie Brendan Gallagher will play alongside Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais.
The Flyers sit in 10th spot in the Eastern conference and have struggled on the road, going 2-7-0 away from home, while the Canadiens sit in fifth spot and are 5-3-0 at home.
