Unheralded Condon keeping Canadiens afloat in Price's absence
The idea of losing Carey Price to injury would have been nightmare fuel for the Montreal Canadiens only a few weeks ago.
But with Price out for at least a week with a lower-body injury, head coach Michel Therrien has turned to 25-year-old Mike Condon, who has put those fears to rest and filled in admirably for the reigning Hart and Vezina Trophy winner.
Heading into Tuesday's 2-1 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators - in which he made 25 saves and was named the game's second star - Condon posted a record of 4-0-0 with a .944 save percentage, a number that was bumped up to .956 at even strength, ranking him seventh among all goalies.
Condon's road to the NHL began at Princeton University, where he played four seasons and posted his best numbers as a senior. He then signed as a free agent with the ECHL's Ontario Reign, spent time with the AHL's Houston Aeros on a pro tryout, and finally inked an NHL contract with the Canadiens back in May 2013.
Given his first real opportunity as a pro as a member of the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs, Condon appeared in 48 games last season, and recorded a save percentage of .921. Not bad for an undrafted player who brought only 56 games of minor-league experience to the table prior to earning the job as Price's backup in training camp.
It certainly has helped that the Canadiens had given Condon a healthy measure of offensive support in his previous four starts, with 21 of their NHL-leading 51 goals scored in those games.
Still, Condon has now allowed only eight goals on 135 shots, good for a .941 save percentage. And even after allowing Kyle Turris to score the game-winning goal Tuesday, he remains unbeaten in regulation.
"I don't like losing," Condon told reporters after the loss. "It was a hard fought game. We'll just take the point."
Being without Price remains less than ideal for the Canadiens, but Condon's play certainly isn't setting them back, making his emergence one of the great stories in the early going this season.