Ducharme: 'There's a chance Jake plays both games'

BROSSARD - Shortly before the Canadiens departed for Toronto, interim head coach Dominique Ducharme provided a status update on goaltender Carey Price.

SHOP: 39THIRTY Hat
He confirmed that Price has a lower-body injury that will force him to miss at least one game, and possibly two, since Montreal is heading into a back-to-back set against the Maple Leafs and Jets on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.
The Habs' bench boss indicated that Price is day-to-day and that he didn't accompany the team on the road for precautionary reasons.
"It's something that has been carrying on for a little bit of time," explained Ducharme. "We just want to make sure that he can take care of it and come back and be 100 percent."

With the 14-year veteran on the sidelines, Jake Allen will start versus Sheldon Keefe's group at Scotiabank Arena.
He's primed to battle a Maple Leafs squad that has won four straight games and currently sits atop the North Division standings.
"Carey's done a great job for us, and now I get a chance to go in there and play and have some fun with it. Nothing changes from my end. I'm preparing the same way as I would whether I'm playing or not playing. It really doesn't change for me. I think consistency in that routine really just benefits you in the long run when these things come up," said Allen, regarding his mindset with Price out of action. "I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to getting back in there against a good team. I haven't faced Toronto yet, so it'll be fun."

Allen most recently played on April 1 when he turned aside 22 of 23 shots in a 4-1 victory over the Senators in Ottawa.
He has compiled a 5-3-4 record, along with a 2.23 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage in 12 outings so far this season.
Price, of course, will be re-evaluated to determine his status for the game against the Jets at the Bell Centre.
"The chances of Carey playing against Winnipeg, it's hard to tell right now because we need to see how he reacts after a couple of days," specified Ducharme. "There's a chance Jake plays both games."
With Gallagher out, Kotkaniemi's in
Ducharme wasn't able to provide a timetable for the return of right-winger Brendan Gallagher, who suffered a fractured thumb during Monday night's game versus Edmonton after being struck by a shot from defenseman Alexander Romanov.
Ducharme explained that Gallagher must undergo further tests to determine the proper course of action.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi took his spot alongside Tomas Tatar and Phillip Danault during Tuesday's practice, making the move from his natural centre position.
The 20-year-old Finn knows replacing the Habs' alternate captain is a tall task, but he's up to the challenge.
"Playing as a winger is always a little bit different, but I did that back in the day in Finland, so I've hopefully still got it somewhere inside of me. It's always an honor to play with those guys. They're great players. It couldn't be better than to have a chance to show what I've got with those types of players," said Kotkaniemi, who has 17 points (5 goals, 12 assists) in 35 games. "They're both really good with the puck, so I probably need to fill Gally's dirty area five-foot role a little bit, and I'll just try to help Phil and Tuna as much as I can."

Durcharme isn't worried about Kotkaniemi's transition to his new role.
He expects him to maintain his identity and stick to the tactics that define his game.
"I just want him to be KK. He's at his best when he's dynamic, when he skates, when he carries the puck and when he's physical and uses his shot and his talent. Once the puck is dropped, playing wing or centre, it's really just a question of knowing who'll be the first forward back in the defensive zone, among other things," mentioned Ducharme. "There really isn't that big of a difference for a player to make the change. It's a lot easier for a centreman to switch to the wing."
Sign of respect
It's safe to say that Gallagher made an impression on Allen long before the pair were teammates in Montreal.
But sharing the ice with the gritty forward at practice and watching him play his heart out over the last three-plus months has made Allen an even bigger fan of his fellow Canuck.
"He's the engine. He really is. Even when I wasn't here and part of this organization, you knew from afar this guy was the engine of the team. He's the bulldog out there," praised Allen, regarding Gallagher. "You know what you're getting from Gally every game. He's going to be in the hard areas, he's going to do the things that you need to do and pay the price to win."

With over 300 games of NHL experience and a Stanley Cup ring on his resume, though, the Canadiens' backup understands the need for others to come through while a player of Gallagher's caliber is unavailable.
And he's adamant that there's adequate depth to get the job done.
"Those are tough shoes to fill, but I think we have a lot of guys in this room that can really fill that. I think we put a lot of pieces together in this puzzle that when one piece is taken away, we can fill in another piece and gap that solution," said Allen. "It's obviously unfortunate news for Gally, but when a door closes, another one opens for someone else. That's just the way you've got to look at it. You've got to look at the next man up."