BROSSARD, Que. -- Without Carey Price, the run for a first Stanley Cup in 21 years got steeper and longer for the Montreal Canadiens. Coach Michel Therrien looked grim and even angry as he delivered the news Monday morning that the goaltender who backstopped Canada to gold at the Sochi Olympics will miss the rest of the NHL Eastern Conference final. He gave no details of the injury, a suspected right knee problem, but suggested Price would be back if the Canadiens can get past the New York Rangers and reach the Stanley Cup final. "Carey Price wont be able to play, not only for tonight but for the rest of the series," said Therrien. "Really disappointed. Hes our best player. "We need to rally around Carey. We need to give him a chance to play again this season." According to Bodog, those words sent betting money went flying off the Canadiens bandwagon and onto New Yorks as Montreal pondered the notion of winning with either backup Peter Budaj or third stringer Dustin Tokarski in goal. The coach would not say which of them would start in Game 2 of the best-of-seven series on Monday night. Budaj has been with the NHL club all season, but has a terrible career playoff record that includes an 0-2-0 record and an .843 save percentage. Tokarski had never played an NHL playoff game, but the 24-year-old has excelled at every level, winning a Memorial Cup with Spokane in 2008, a world junior championship with Canada in 2009 and an AHL title with Norfolk in 2012. He was drafted by Tampa Bay in 2008 and acquired by Montreal Feb. 14, 2013 for Cedrick Desjardins in a swap of minor-league goalies. He spent most of the season with AHL Hamilton, but played three games for Montreal this season and posted a 2-0 shutout against Buffalo. Price clutched his right knee when Rangers forward Chris Kreider crashed into him skates-first at 3:15 of the second period of New Yorks shock 7-2 win in the series opener on Saturday afternoon. The Canadiens goaltender got up and finished the period, but didnt look comfortable as he allowed two goals in the final 1:01. He was replaced in the third by Budaj, who allowed three goals on eight shots. After the game, Therrien said he took Price out not because of an injury but because there was no use leaving him in with the team playing poorly. He was angrier the next day when it became clear the injury was worse than first suspected, saying Kreider could have tried to avoid the collision. And he was simmering on Monday, pointing out Kreiders history of hitting goalies. Kreider left Ottawas Craig Anderson with a knee injury when he crashed the crease during the regular season and he also elbowed Marc-Andre Fleurys head in Game 6 of the conference semifinals, although the Pittsburgh goalie was not hurt. "Looking at the incident, its a reckless play," said Therrien. "Thats the truth. "And Kreider, thats not the first time hes going at goalies. So we end up losing our best player. But our group faced a lot of adversity throughout the course of the season. We have the attitude to respond really well and thats what Im expecting, starting tonight." Kreider said his main regret was that he missed the net with his shot as he went in on a breakaway and lost his footing. "Obviously, I was trying to score a goal," the speedy six-foot-three, 226-pound forward said. "Im here to play my game and play hard and I think Im a clean player. "I dont go out with the intent to hurt anyone, ever, so Im going to continue to try and get to the net and score goals." In the third period, Montreals Brandon Prust slashed and cross-checked Kreider, earning two minor penalties and a misconduct. But Therrien said the Canadiens were more concerned with trying to win the series than with vengeance. "We know what happened with Kreider, we know his history, we know a lot of things," said Therrien. "But our main focus is to make sure we play a solid game. "Make sure we play hard, we play with passion, that we be disciplined, and play the way we are capable of playing." The Canadiens are now in the same predicament as Tampa Bay, their first round opponent that was missing injured starting goaltender Ben Bishop. Montreal swept the series. Rangers coach Alain Vigneault said it wont change their game plans against Montreal. "Prior to the series, we had prepared for three possible goaltenders, obviously, spending more time on Price," he said. "Its very unfortunate what happened to him. "But for us, its business as usual." Edinson Volquez Rangers Jersey .J. -- Having Ondrej Pavelec earn his 100th NHL win and seeing Mark Scheifele and Evander Kane break goal droughts were nice highlights for the Winnipeg Jets. Joey Gallo Jersey . Claude Noel will be the man behind the bench when the team hits the ice of the MTS Centre to begin its inaugural season. http://www.texasrangersshop.com/rangers-shawn-kelley-jersey/. - While a fast-paced offence has become more of a fixture in recent years, the San Antonio Spurs can still grind out games when needed. Shin-Soo Choo Rangers Jersey . The 155th edition of the Plate for Canadian-foaled three-year-olds, the oldest continuously run stakes race in North America, will be televised live on TSN in HD (High Definition) in a special presentation from 4:30 – 6:00 pm ET. Post time is 5:38 pm. Lance Lynn Rangers Jersey .com) - The 12th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes continue a four-game homestand at Value City Arena on Wednesday night when they face off against the High Point Panthers in a non-conference matchup.WASHINGTON -- If Stephen Harper or Barack Obama plan to do any Olympics-watching next February, theyll be staring at a screen and not from the stands. The Canadian and American leaders both announced Wednesday that they will not be attending the Games, prompting speculation of an international snub over Russias gay-rights record. Harpers office announced the news discreetly, in a late-evening email. The message from the Prime Ministers Office noted that Harper has gone to only one Olympics since he took office, and that lone exception was for obvious reasons. "He normally does not attend (Vancouver was an exception because Canada was the host)," a prime ministerial spokesman said in an email. That news came several hours after the United States delivered a more conspicuous message. For the first time since 2000, the U.S. will not send a president, former president, first lady or vice-president to the Games. Also, the small U.S. delegation for the opening and closing ceremonies will include two openly gay athletes. Those athletes, tennis legend Billie Jean King and hockey player Caitlin Cahow, will be joined by figure skater Brian Boitano, former cabinet secretary Janet Napolitano, a presidential advisor, and the U.S. ambassador to Russia. An Obama spokesman was asked at the daily White House press briefing whether the delegation was intended to make a political point. While he said such a message would not be sent "through this manner," his response also repeatedly referred to "diversity" -- a word Obamas spokesman mentioned seven times in his answers. "This delegation represents the diversity that is the United States," said presidential spokesman Jay Carney. "Every member of that delegation is extremely accomplished, either in government service or in civic activism or, most especially, in sports. So hes very proud of the delegation and the diversity it represents. And he looks forward, as every American does, to the competition and to the effort that American athletes will demonstrate when they compete in Sochi." Obamas spokespeople said his schedule would not allow him to attend. However, Carney also added that the president has been clear that he "finds it offensive, the anti-LGBT legislation in Russia," as well as the harassment caused to those who protest corruption there. Russia has come under fierce criticism for passing national laws banning "gay propaganda." For its part, the Canadian government said its delegation choices will be announced soon. When asked whether they should be interpreted as carrying a human-rights message, Harper spokesman Jason MacDonald replied: "No. Were not in a position to comment on who our reppresentatives will be.dddddddddddd" France and Germany are among the other countries who will not send their presidents to Sochi for the Games. Earlier this month, IOC President Thomas Bach said Russia would set up public protest zones in Sochi for "people who want to express their opinion or want to demonstrate for or against something." Meanwhile, the IOC approved a letter going out to athletes reminding them to refrain from protests or political gestures during the Sochi Games -- reiterating Rule 50 of the Olympic charter, which forbids demonstrations on Olympic grounds. Bach had previously said hed received assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin that gays will not be discriminated against in Sochi. On Thursday, Putin reiterated those assurances, saying it is Russias responsibility as host of the Games to ensure equal conditions for all the athletes. "The main thing for us is the good organization of these competitions, the creation of equal terms for all athletes," he told a Moscow news conference. But the Russian law has raised questions about what could happen to athletes who wear pins or badges or carry flags supporting gay rights. The U.S. Olympic Committee made no comment about the sexual orientation of the delegation Wednesday. In a nod to its disapproval of the law, however, the USOC recently revised its non-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation. Earlier this year, Obama rejected the idea of a U.S. boycott of the Olympics despite a number of differences with Russia, including the anti-gay law. Wednesdays announcement, however, represented an unmistakable break with recent precedent: In Vancouver, Vice-President Joe Biden led the delegation, and in 2012, first lady Michelle Obama held the honour. The announcement prompted an enthusiastic response from the Human Rights Campaign, which recently sent a letter urging Obama to include gays and lesbians in the U.S. delegation. "Its a positive sign to see openly gay representatives in the delegation," said spokesman Michael Cole-Schwartz. "Hopefully it sends a message to the Russian people and the rest of the world that the United States values the civil and human rights of LGBT people." King made an explicit point about human rights Wednesday, saying she was "deeply honoured" to be named to the delegation. "I am equally proud to stand with the members of the LGBT community in support of all athletes who will be competing in Sochi and I hope these Olympic Games will indeed be a watershed moment for the universal acceptance of all people," she said. King, who won Wimbledon 20 times in singles and doubles categories, will attend the opening ceremony. ' ' '