Carey Price is shouldering the blame after his Montreal Canadiens lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final.
"At the end of the day, I just don't think I played well enough at the start of the series," Price said postgame Wednesday, per TVA Sports.
Captain Shea Weber, who was seated next to Price, dismissed his star goalie's comments and quickly interjected.
"I don't think that's the case at all, to be honest. I think that we weren't good enough in front of Carey," Weber said. "Give them credit, they're a heck of a team, they're here for a reason, and they were better than us in the end."
Price was outstanding for the first three rounds of the playoffs, helping guide the Canadiens to their first Stanley Cup Final since 1993. However, he and the team in front of him weren't as sharp in the opening games against the highly talented Lightning.
Through Game 3, Price allowed 13 goals on 79 shots for an .835 save percentage. The Canadiens were outscored 14-5 over that span, unable to generate much on either side of the ice.
Price seemed to regain his form after calling out his own play following Game 3, but it was ultimately too little too late. He made 32 saves in an overtime win in Game 4 and stopped 29 of 30 shots in the following contest.
The 33-year-old sees a bittersweetness in the defeat and the experience of his team's improbable run.
"It's incredibly disappointing," Price said, according to The Athletic's Arpon Basu. "But I'm only disappointed in the result."
Price finished the postseason with a .924 save percentage and 2.28 goals-against average.
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