MONTREAL -- It’s a lesson you think we all would have learned by now: Never underestimate Carey Price.

Once again, I am guilty of it. I did it last year before the playoff ‘bubble’. And I did it again this year before the post-season began.

However, despite a substandard 2021 regular season, Price has been able to find another level in his play when it matters most.

In defence of the ‘doubters’ (me being one of them) Price didn’t give any indication in the regular season that he would pick it up in the playoffs. He was injured twice and never really got into a groove. He appeared in 25 games with a record of 12-7-5 with a goals against average of 2.64 and a .901% save percentage.

Price’s goals against average in 2019-2020 was 2.79 – the second highest of his career, to go along with a .909% save percentage. What followed in last year’s playoffs was vintage Carey Price. His spectacular play was the main reason Montreal upset Pittsburgh in the play-in round and he was rock solid against Philadelphia in the series that followed, which the Flyers won in six games.

Price finished with a goals against average of 1.78 and a .936% save percentage in 10 games.

Heading into the opening game of the series May 20th against heavily-favoured Toronto, it was clear that Price had to be at the top of his game for Montreal to have a chance to win.

And he was.

He stopped 35 of 36 shots, leading the team to a 2-1 victory. As of this writing, Price has been terrific against the Maple Leafs. His stats in the game five overtime win are a bit misleading. Yes, he let in 3 goals on 35 shots but made a number of dazzling stops at key times to help Montreal extend the series to a sixth game.

Numbers aside, Price just looks different when he is at the top of his game. As stoic a person as he is, when he’s struggled over the past couple of regular seasons, you can see it in his body language. He often fights the puck in those down times and his ability to anticipate the play seems to be missing.

However ‘playoff Price’ over the last two years has shown none of those signs. He is where he needs to be before he needs to be there, frustrating shooters time after time with his positioning. He makes himself big in the net and plays his angles expertly. He evens seems to pass the puck better when his game is ‘on’, often acting like an extra defenseman in that regard.

So, why is Price able to step up his game in the playoffs?

It has to be his mental toughness. While the rest he got between last year’s regular season and post-season as well as Jake Allen helping shoulder the load this year can’t be overlooked, it’s between the ears that makes the difference for him.

Never one to talk about himself, it’s doubtful Price would ever reveal what he thinks it is that allows him to peak at the right time. But it’s clear that his ability to focus in the post-season enables him to play his best hockey.

When the 2021-2022 season begins, Carey Price will be 34 years old with lots of hard miles on his body.

When he hits a rough spot, some fans will say that he is done.

When that time comes, it will be worth looking at his playoff performance over the past two years and remembering that he has earned the benefit of the doubt.

Price is still a top-notch goaltender when the chips are down.