Price bounces back since bye week, Julien hiring

All is right in Montreal.

The Canadiens have rediscovered their winning ways since returning from their mid-February bye week, while franchise netminder Carey Price is also back in his groove.

After starting the season on a 13-1-1 mark, the Canadiens stumbled through the season's sleepy months, going 18-18-7 in their next 43 nights, ultimately ending in the ax for former bench boss Michel Therrien.

But since Feb. 18, and now under the guidance of coach Claude Julien, the Canadiens are winners of six of eight, regaining a firm lead atop their division, with 82 points on the season.

Julien's early returns are promising. Price has rebounded to win five of seven contests, not allowing more than two goals in any game. It's a nice bounce back for the team MVP, who struggled through six games following the All-Star Break, in which his save percentage dipped to .894.

"Any team that goes through a funk will tell you that it's just not a fun thing," Price told Arpon Basu of NHL.com. "Especially with the uncertainty too from the trade deadline. So you add all those things up, they were just kind of looming over the room. Now that those things are gone I feel like there's kind of a rejuvenation of energy."

In the meantime, Price has added more accolades to his impressive resume.

Last month, Price passed the legendary Ken Dryden for third place on the Canadiens' all-time wins list. He should leapfrog Patrick Roy next season, although a stellar campaign could put Price at the top as early as 2017-18: