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With Carey Price out with a lower-body injury, the Montreal Canadiens have turned to their AHL affiliate to find a replacement. As Charlie Lindgren is out for the same reason, that man will be Michael McNiven.
Canadiens have recalled goaltender Michael McNiven from the AHL’s Laval Rocket (emergency recall). He will join the team in Sunrise, Florida. Goaltender Carey Price will be placed on Injured reserve list (retroactive - December 22).
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) December 27, 2018
Price had played the last six games for the Canadiens before the holiday break, but was unable to get through practice on Thursday.
McNiven will dress for his third team in the 2018-19 season. Starting one game with the Brampton Beast of the ECHL and playing in 12 for the Laval Rocket, he will now put on the Canadiens sweater for the first time.
In his 12 outings in the AHL, McNiven has a 2.56 goals-against average and an .884 save percentage. He had a rough start in his first game at the helm on Decemeber 7, allowing three goals on six shots before being pulled. However, in his last four games in a defined starter role, he allowed just seven goals with a save percentage of .931 in those contests.
Antti Niemi will be getting the start for Friday’s game versus the Florida Panthers, and probably Saturday’s versus the Tampa Bay Lightning as well. McNiven’s role will most likely be limited to practice duty and sitting on the bench for games during his stay, but it will be a good experience for a young goaltender, especially one who has played in the third tier of North American hockey this season.