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Canadiens honor Roy before facing surging Bruins

Nov 22, 2008 - 11:27 AM Boston (13-3-4) at Montreal (11-5-2), 7:30 pm EST

MONTREAL (Ticker) -- For over a decade, goaltender Patrick Roy helped the Montreal Canadiens add to their allure as the most storied franchise in NHL history. The team's current netminder can only hope to do the same.

The 21-year-old Carey Price hopes to slow the Boston Bruins' surging offense on Saturday following a ceremony in which the Canadiens will retire Roy's No. 33.

Winners of 11 of their last 13, the rolling Bruins hope to repeat their strong effort of November 13, when they cruised to a 6-1 victory over Price and the Canadiens.

Boston, which has yielded just 47 goals, has continued to click on the offensive end, scoring 35 goals over the last nine games. Such prowess was evident in its 7-4 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Wednesday and a 4-2 victory against the Florida Panthers on Friday.

However, Price has been stellar since being exposed against Boston, yielding just two goals in each of his last three contests. He is 9-4-1 with a 2.51 goals-against average in 14 games.

Price led the Canadiens to a deep playoff run just months after being forced into the starting role in the wake of the team's unloading of Cristobal Huet to the Washington Capitals. Still, he has much work to do if he plans on matching Roy's legacy.

A third-round pick in 1984, Roy was one of the top goaltenders in team and NHL history, leading Montreal to Stanley Cup championships in 1986 and 1993 - the last of the franchise's record 23 NHL titles.

Roy will become the sixth player in NHL history to have his number retired by two teams, joining an exclusive club that consists of Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Ray Bourque, Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull.

During his career with Montreal, Roy posted a 289-175-66 record with 29 shutouts and a 2.77 goals-against average in 551 games. The 11-time All-Star had a career mark of 551-315-131 with 66 blankings and a 2.54 GAA in 1,029 career contests over 19 seasons with the Canadiens and Avalanche.

His 551 victories are the most in NHL history, seven more than New Jersey's Martin Brodeur.

A three-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Roy was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2006.