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Argentina vs Austria LIVE SCORE FIFA WC 2026: Argentina look to stay unbeaten; kick-off at 10:30 PM | FIFA World Cup 2026
Defending champions Argentina and Austria will be looking to keep their winning runs going in the FIFA World Cup 2026 when they take on each other in a Group J match today at Dallas Stadium in Arlington.
Argentina, in their campaign opener, beat Algeria 3-0 thanks to skipper Lionel Messi’s hat-trick. A win against Austria today means they are likely to keep their title defence alive at least until the Round of 32.
On the other hand, Austria beat Jordan 3-1 in their first game and will leave no stone unturned to create a major upset by beating Argentina in their second game. A win for them will also almost secure their place in the next round, while a loss will make their final group-stage game a do-or-die encounter.
But will Argentina extend their winning streak, or will Austria cause an upset? Stay tuned to find out.
Argentina look to maintain momentum
Argentina produced a statement performance against Algeria, with Messi once again demonstrating why he remains the focal point of Lionel Scaloni’s side. The Inter Miami forward scored all three goals as La Albiceleste began their campaign with a comfortable victory.
Scaloni is expected to make at least one change after Gonzalo Montiel was ruled out through injury, with Nahuel Molina likely to slot in at right-back. Julian Alvarez is also pushing for a starting berth after beginning the opening match on the bench, potentially replacing Lautaro Martinez alongside Messi in attack.
With six points enough to guarantee progress to the Round of 32, Argentina will be eager to avoid any slip-up and strengthen their grip on top spot in Group J before facing Iran in their final group-stage fixture.
Austria seek another statement result
Austria announced their return to the World Cup in style by defeating Jordan 3-1 to join Argentina on three points at the top of Group J.
Ralf Rangnick’s side relied on goals from Christoph Baumgartner, Michael Gregoritsch and substitute Marko Arnautovic to overcome the tournament debutants and will now attempt to test the reigning champions.
Changes could be on the cards, with Tottenham Hotspur defender Kevin Danso pushing for a place in the starting XI. His inclusion could allow captain David Alaba to shift to left-back, while veteran striker Arnautovic will hope his late goal against Jordan is enough to earn a start.
Austria have not reached the knockout stage since 1954, but another positive result in Dallas would put them on course to end that wait and potentially emerge as one of the surprise packages of FIFA World Cup 2026.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Argentina vs Austria: Starting 11
Argentina starting 11: Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Facundo Medina; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, Thiago Almada
Austria starting 11: Alexander Schlager; Kevin Danso, Stefan Posch, David Alaba; Nicolas Seiwald, Xaver Schlager; Romano Schmid, Konrad Laimer, Marcel Sabitzer, Paul Wanner; Michael Gregoritsch
FIFA World Cup 2026 Argentina vs Austria live telecast:
The live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 match between Argentina and Austria will be available on the Unite8 Sports Network.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Argentina vs Austria live streaming:
The live streaming of the FIFA World Cup 2026 match between Argentina and Austria will be available on the ZEE5 app and website.
Check all the live updates of the Argentina vs Austria match in FIFA World Cup 2026 here
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Football gossip: Rogers, Rashford, Tonali, Chalobah, Kane, Bremer, Ugarte
Morgan Rogers keen on a move to Arsenal, Marcus Rashford prepared to take pay cut to join Tottenham and Spurs also confident of signing Newcastle‘s Sandro Tonali.
Aston Villa and England midfielder Morgan Rogers is keen on a move to Premier League champions Arsenal this summer, with the Gunners making the 23-year-old a top target. (Talksport) , external
Manchester United‘s England forward Marcus Rashford, 28, is prepared to take a pay cut to join Tottenham for £40m this summer after his Barcelona loan. (i paper), external
Tottenham are confident of signing Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali for a fee close to £85m, but the Italy international, 26, would rather join rivals Arsenal. (Daily Mail – subscription required), external
Chelsea‘s 26-year-old defender Trevoh Chalobah, who was a late call-up to England’s World Cup squad, is wanted by Como boss Cesc Fabregas. (Fabrizio Romano), external
Bayern Munich and Tottenham are both keen on 29-year-old Juventus defender Bremer, but the Brazilian is happy to stay in Turin. (Gianluca DiMarzio – in Italian), external
Barcelona have made a surprise approach to see if England striker Harry Kane, 32, would be open to leaving Bayern Munich for the Spanish club. (Sport – in Spanish) , external
Manchester United are prepared to accept a loss on 25-year-old Uruguay midfielder Manuel Ugarte in order to sell him this summer. (Sun) , external
Leeds United have moved closer to finalising a deal for Southampton’s Northern Ireland midfielder Shea Charles, 22, who only has a year left on his current contract. (Teamtalk), external
Brighton are closing in on the signing of 27-year-old Venezia and Austria defender Michael Svoboda. (Sky Sports) , external
Arsenal are yet to agree a deal to sign Kolkheti and Georgia Under-21 midfielder Andria Bartishvili, with Liverpool and Paris FC are also working on a move for the 17-year-old. (Talksport) , external
West Ham and France defender Jean-Clair Todibo, 26, is close to agreeing a loan move to Fenerbahce after the Hammers’ relegation. (Star – in Turkish), external
Sports
Manchester City Close to Appointing Enzo Maresca as New Manager
Manchester City are close to appointing former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca as their new head coach on a three-year contract.
The move comes one month after Pep Guardiola announced that he would leave City after 10 successful years in charge.
Reports indicate that City and Chelsea have reached an agreement over compensation for Maresca, with the fee believed to be more than £10 million.
Chelsea were entitled to compensation because Maresca was under contract with the London club until 2029 before leaving his role in January. The Blues had been considering their legal options before the two clubs entered negotiations.
Maresca was quickly identified by City as their preferred choice to succeed Guardiola and lead the club into a new era.
Manchester City have not commented publicly on the reports.
The club’s players who are not involved in the ongoing World Cup are expected to return for pre-season training in mid-July.
Although the appointment has not yet been officially announced, transfer planning has continued behind the scenes. City are looking to strengthen their squad ahead of the new campaign.
The club have already seen two bids rejected for Elliot Anderson of Nottingham Forest and are expected to return with another offer.
The midfielder is being considered as a possible replacement for departing captain Bernardo Silva.
Football analyst Freddie Pye believes City remain an attractive destination for players despite Guardiola’s departure.
According to Pye, City continue to offer the chance to win trophies, world-class facilities and the opportunity to be part of an exciting new chapter under a new manager.
However, he also noted that some players may view Guardiola’s exit as the end of an era and could consider leaving the club after enjoying some of the most successful years in City’s history.
An official announcement on Maresca’s appointment is expected in the coming days as Manchester City prepare for life after Guardiola.
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Christian Pulisic returns to training with U.S. after missing last World Cup match
IRVINE, Calif. — Christian Pulisic returned to training with his U.S. teammates on Monday after missing their most recent match of the World Cup with a calf injury.
Pulisic participated in warmups and ball drills during the 15 minutes of practice open to the media in Orange County. The team gave no formal update on the status of the AC Milan midfielder, who has been limited to one dynamic half of play in the unbeaten Americans’ home World Cup.
Pulisic didn’t play in the Americans’ 2-0 victory over Australia in Seattle last Friday. He played the first half of their tournament-opening victory over Paraguay, catalyzing two of the U.S. team’s three goals in the first half of a historic 4-1 win before coming off at halftime with stiffness from the injury incurred the previous week in training.
Pulisic trained apart from his teammates during the workouts between the first two games, so his return to the full squad was obviously encouraging. He had been limited to gym workouts, resistance training and light ball work during his absence.
“It’s a tough situation when you’re going through a small, little knock,” U.S. teammate Alex Zendejas said Monday. “It’s an important tournament where obviously everyone wants to be able to get out there 100%, but (we don’t) talk about the injury or talk about the moment (Pulisic) is going through. (We) talk about other stuff, try to get his mind off of it. Just be there for him.”
The U.S. finishes group play on Thursday night at SoFi Stadium against Turkey in a meaningless game for the group-winning Americans and the already-eliminated Turks.
The Americans’ first knockout match is on July 1 in Santa Clara, California.
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino still didn’t have his entire roster on the field at Great Park. Midfielder Cristian Roldan missed practice with a strained muscle.
Sports
Free 2026 World Cup anytime goalscorer picks, odds, best bets: Mbappe, Haaland among best bets for Monday
Monday is a loaded day of World Cup action, and some of the best goalscorers in the world are looking to put on another show. Defending champions Argentina faced Austria in the first match of the day, and we cashed in when Lionel Messi broke the World Cup record with his 17th goal then added another to give him five at World Cup 2026. Argentina won 2-0, and up next on Monday’s World Cup schedule is 2022 Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappe, as his France side takes on Iraq at 5 p.m. Erling Haaland and Norway clash with Senegal at 8 p.m., and the action wraps up at 11 p.m. with Jordan facing Algeria.
If you’re interested in soccer betting, you have high-end options when it comes to anytime goal scorer props for Monday’s matches, but do they have value at current odds? We’ve made our favorite picks using the World Cup 2026 odds at FanDuel.
For more World Cup picks, including outright winners, spread picks and totals, be sure to check out the picks from SportsLine experts like Jon Eimer, Martin Green and Brad Thomas. Anyone following their World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Best World Cup goalscorer picks for Monday
- Lionel Messi, Argentina (+110, FanDuel)
- Kylian Mbappe, France (-210, FanDuel)
- Erling Haaland, Norway (+120, FanDuel)
- Riyad Mahrez, Algeria (+160, FanDuel)
Lionel Messi, Argentina (+110, FanDuel)
Rather than riding into the sunset after leading Argentina to a 2022 World Cup victory, Messi decided he’d run it back again in 2026. So far, so good. Messi began this tournament with a hat trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria, and he was the only player in the first round of group play to record a hat trick. Austria presents a tougher challenge than Algeria after defeating Jordan 3-1, but it’s clear Messi is still the guy and will be a force in front of the net.
Kylian Mbappe, France (-210, FanDuel)
After a 0-0 score at halftime against Senegal, the French attack woke up in the second half thanks largely to one man — Mbappe. The Real Madrid star scored the first goal of the match and after Senegal made it 2-1, Mbappe quickly answered with a long laser for his second tally of the game to become the all-time leader in goals in France history. France now face an Iraq side that gave up four goals to Norway last week, so Mbappe should be licking his chops entering this matchup.
Erling Haaland, Norway (+120, FanDuel)
Speaking of that 4-1 Norway win, Haaland made his presence felt with not one, but two goals in that matchup. The Manchester City superstar was flying all over the place there, putting in one on a header and another by forcing the goalie’s hand — or foot in this case. Haaland and Co. face Senegal in their last match before what should be an eventful Group I tilt with France on Friday. Haaland was tremendous in Norway’s opener, and there’s little reason to think he won’t make an impact against Senegal.
Riyad Mahrez, Algeria (+160, FanDuel)
Mahrez, who stars for Al-Ahli, is one of the better players in Algerian history with 33 goals in 104 caps dating back to 2014. He was a major factor in the Africa Cup of Nations last year with three goals in four matches in a quarterfinal run, but he’s yet to score in a World Cup. There’s no time like the present in that regard against Jordan, which gave up three goals to Austria in their opener. Algeria were shut out against Argentina, so look for them to lean on the veteran Mahrez, who has some major juice at this price.
Sports
Lionel Messi’s Stunning FIFA World Cup’s Record 17th Goal. Watch
Lionel Messi became the leading scorer in World Cup history when the Argentina captain netted against Austria on Monday to take his total to 17 goals. Messi had equalled Miroslav Klose’s all-time mark of 16 World Cup goals when hitting a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Algeria to open his country’s title defence in North America last week. He made it 17 when he swept home after 38 minutes in Argentina’s second group game, to deafening roars at the home of the Dallas Cowboys in Arlington, Texas.
The 38-year-old had missed a penalty earlier in the game.
Messi is playing at his sixth World Cup, his first coming in 2006 and he now has 121 goals in 201 games for his country. His enduring quality augurs well for Argentina’s hopes of becoming the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cup titles.
LIONEL MESSI’S GOAL LOOKS ABSOLUTELY STUNNING FROM THIS ANGLE! pic.twitter.com/tMH0eq3Mky
— MC (@CrewsMat10) June 22, 2026
Messi was tearful after his first goal against Algeria, and it later emerged that his father is recovering from an unspecified health issue.
Despite his personal travails and a troubled build-up because of a hamstring niggle, Messi’s mere presence inspires his teammates.
“If anyone thought this group was better off without Leo, today it became clear that Leo is the most important of them all,” said midfielder Alexis Mac Allister after the win against Algeria.
Inter Miami attacker Messi had not even committed to playing the tournament in North America until the last moment.
But nobody realistically expected him to be absent from spearheading Argentina’s title defence.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain wizard dragged his country to World Cup glory four years ago, and the lure of representing his nation once again on the biggest stage proved irresistible.
Argentina can qualify for the next round with a victory over Austria and would be assured of finishing top of Group J if Jordan fail to beat Algeria later on Monday.
After former Germany forward Klose, next on the all-time list is Brazilian great Ronaldo, with 15 goals, one ahead of Gerd Muller and current France star Kylian Mbappe.
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Manchester United Are Keeping A Keen Eye On This West Ham United Winger: Should Carrick Go For Him?
Speaking on the Transfer Insider podcast, journalist Pete O’Rourke mentioned that Manchester United are keeping a keen eye on West Ham United winger Crysencio Summerville this summer. O’Rourke said,
“As a result of West Ham going down and their need to balance the books, they will have to look to cash in on Summerville.
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“West Ham are resigned to losing a number of key players this summer, and Mateus Fernandes and Summerville are probably the two most high profile players that could be on the move as well.
“Man United are potentially looking to sign both of them from West Ham and they have them on their list of targets this summer.
“United are very much interested in Summerville a lot will come down to the price, and it will be a similar case for Fernandes and whether they can agree a deal between the clubs.”
Summerville’s Decent Form In English Football
Summerville managed to shine at times with his performances on the left side of West Ham’s attack in the previous campaign, but failed to help them avoid relegation from the Premier League. The Dutch talent found the back of the net on seven occasions and picked up five assists in 34 matches for the Hammers last season across multiple competitions.
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The 24-year-old is currently among the best wide players in his homeland. Hence, Man United would do well to acquire his services later this year.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS – JUNE 14: Crysencio Summerville #24 of Netherlands celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group F match between Netherlands and Japan at Dallas Stadium on June 14, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)
His current contract at the London Stadium will expire in the summer of 2029, which could make it tough for the Red Devils to snap him up on a cut-price deal in this transfer period.
Should Manchester United Boss Michael Carrick Go For Summerville?
Summerville has got the pace to cause a lot of headaches for his marker out in the wide areas. He can shoot the ball with power from long range and has got the vision to engineer some inviting chances for his teammates to score.
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The Dutch sensation can chip in by scoring and creating a handful of important goals for his team. He is already quite familiar with the Premier League and won’t take much time to adjust to life at the Mancunian club.
Summerville would inject more quality and depth into Man United head coach Michael Carrick’s attack. He has what it takes to fight for a regular first-team spot at Old Trafford next season.
At 24, Summerville has got his best years ahead of him, which makes him a decent choice for the Red Devils to consider in this transfer window. He will also help Man United challenge across all fronts in the coming years. Hence, Carrick would be wise to go for him soon.
Sports
Yulo brothers fall short in adding more medals at Asian meet
Brothers Carlos Yulo and Eldrew Yulo after winning the gold and bronze medals, respectively, in the men’s floor exercise at the Asian Gymnastics Championships in China.–Photo from Carlos Yulo’s Instagram
MANILA, Philippines—After winning two medals in the floor exercise event of the Asian Gymnastics Championships on Friday, brothers Carlos and Eldrew Yulo failed to pull off an encore 24 hours later in Zunyi China.
The older Yulo couldn’t add to his gold total after coming up short in the horizontal and parallel bar finals.
Carlos tallied only 13.500 points in the horizontal bar final, won by defending champion Chia-Hung Tang of Chinese Taipei with a score of 15.500. Eldrew just missed the podium with 13.833 for fourth place.
READ: Carlos Yulo wins floor gold, Eldrew takes bronze in Asian meet
The double Olympic champion suffered a double whammy on Sunday night after he wound up in sixth in the parallel bar final with 13.566 points. China’s Zhang Boheng ruled the event with 14.933 points.
Still, Carlos was in high spirits after he and Eldrew achieved a rare feat by winning medals on the big stage together.
“Proud to represent the Philippines and grateful for everyone who continues to support this journey,” Carlos wrote in an Instagram post.
Golden boy Carlos Yulo has advice as brother Karl Eldrew chases glory
“Thank you to my coaches, family, and everyone who believed in me through every high and low.”
Carlos won the floor exercise gold, while Eldrew bagged the bronze on Saturday.
Sports
The Vikings Appear to be Cruising Toward a $25 Million Cap Boost
As things stand, the Vikings are boasting north of $13 million in open cap space (OTC). Not too shabby, but things could be improved. In fact, the financial outlook for 2026 seems destined to improve.
The Minnesota Vikings boast a pair of stud players in RT1 Brian O’Neill and EDGE1 Andrew Van Ginkel, both of whom look like logical extension candidates. Combined, the pair of veterans could spark a robust financial windfall for the present-day Vikings. All that’s needed is for GM Nolan Teasley to put together a pair of contract extensions, a task that’s easier said than done but that’s nevertheless quite plausible.
The Vikings’ Cap: Watch for a $25M Boost
At this stage, Mr. O’Neill appears to be a lifelong Viking.
Kirk Cousins used to pass along the quip that the letters “NFL” actually stand for “Not for Long.” His basic idea is that job security is scarce in the money-hungry, cutthroat football league. Very few players ever arrive at fixity in their employment for a specific team.
Brian O’Neill is therefore a unique player who appears to be following in Harrison Smith’s and C.J. Ham’s footsteps.
Right now, O’Neill carries the weightiest cap charge for the Minnesota Vikings. He’s seeing $23,115,657 get attached to his name, a hit that’s worth it but still difficult enough to digest.
Extending the rugged large lad could involve $14,160,000 getting put back into the mix. At this point on the calendar, that’s a total that is quite beefy. Enough to do damage among the remaining free agent talents, that’s for sure.
Extending O’Neill appears to be Step 1, at least in the minds of many.
There’s then Andrew Van Ginkel, whom the Vikings should be prioritizing as the top player to extend. No team can succeed without having a formidable pass rush. In Van Ginkel, the Vikings boast one of the most overlooked options within considerations of the NFL’s top edge rushers. Ensuring that he finishes his pro career with a horn on his helmet should be a priority.
He, too, is a pricey player. The cap is showing $19,250,000 for the edge rusher’s services in 2026 (third-most on the team behind O’Neill and Justin Jefferson). Extending him could mean seeing $11,352,000 tossed back into the mix for 2026.
Extending both of Brian O’Neill and Andrew Van Ginkel — a reasonable outcome that may even be likely — would mean giving the Vikings $25,512,000 in added cap room for 2026.
Teasley could use that open room to enhance the roster by plucking talent out of free agency. Or, perhaps, there’s a desire to venture into the trade market. Boasting ample cap space helps in when it comes to pulling off a swap.
The NFL is operating from within its slowest portion of the year. What could disrupt the seemingly inevitable summer doldrums is an extension or two. The Vikings boast several players who appear like nice candidates, none more compelling than O’Neill and Van Ginkel. Since each have hearty cap charges, each can give back ample cap room.
Look for the Vikings to get some enhanced cap space at some point during the summer.
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Carey Price, Keith Tkachuk, Brian Burke lead 2026 Hockey Hall of Fame class
Some big names are headed for immortality.
Carey Price, Keith Tkachuk, Patrice Bergeron, Pekka Rinne and Cindy Curley were voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday.
Brian Burke also got the nod as a builder.
Price, 38, spent his entire 15-year career with the Montreal Canadiens, peaking in 2014-15 when he won the Hart and Vezina Trophies while leading the NHL in save percentage (.933), goals-against average (1.96) and wins (44).
He finished his career with marks of .917 and 2.51, earning 361 wins over 700 starts and picking up one all-star nod.
Tkachuk, 54, spent 18 years in the NHL, including parts of 10 with the Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes franchise and parts of nine with the St. Louis Blues. He finished his career with 538 goals and 2,219 penalty minutes over 1,201 games, making two all-star teams and receiving MVP votes in three different seasons.
Bergeron, 40, was a career Boston Bruin, playing 1,294 games for the franchise and helping it win the 2011 Stanley Cup before becoming captain. The Ancienne-Lorette, Que., native won two Olympic gold medals to go with six Selke Trophies as the NHL’s top defensive forward and retired in 2023 after 427 goals and 613 assists.
Rinne, 43, also spent his entire career with one team, playing 683 games for the Nashville Predators and leading them to the 2017 Stanley Cup Final. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2018 and retired in 2021 with a .917 save percentage and 2.43 GAA.
Curley, 62, won three silver medals for the U.S. at the world championship in 1990, 1992 and 1994 — the first three year’s of the tournament’s existence. She had 225 points (110 goals, 115 points) in a decorated NCAA career at Providence.
Burke, 70, currently serves as executive director of the PWHL after an NHL career that saw stops atop the front offices of the Vancouver Canucks, Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Providence, R.I., native won his lone Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007. He is perhaps best known for the draft-day deals that allowed him to select Daniel and Henrik Sedin second and third overall in the 1999 draft.
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Carey Price’s journey to Hall of Fame paved by awe-inspiring greatness
MONTREAL — It was one of many defining moments in Carey Price’s career, though it came after a devastating loss rather than one of the many triumphs that ultimately landed him in the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday.
It was the spring of 2015, in Tampa Bay, where the Montreal Canadiens were attempting to avoid a 3-0 deficit in their second-round series versus the Lightning. Price allowed the game’s first goal to Alex Killorn 12 minutes into the first period but rebounded spectacularly before Brendan Gallagher tied things up midway through the third period.
Six more shots got through the Canadiens after Gallagher tied the game, but they didn’t get past Price. He was square and in control, singlehandedly keeping hope alive until the final second.
But that’s when Tyler Johnson dashed it, arriving on the doorstep of Price’s crease on a two-on-one and tapping home the game-winner with less than a second to go in regulation.
The Canadiens’ room felt like a morgue after that. Long faces and 1,000-yard stares dominated fruitless scrums.
The players were understandably dismayed by a very successful season on the verge of being flushed away so convincingly by a team they had swept in the previous playoffs. None more so than Price — a man of few words typically spoken in hushed tones.
He had even less to say than usual. His scrum might have lasted a minute, and it felt like a minute wasted.
But right after it ended, as Price was headed towards the showers, the Montreal Gazette’s Pat Hickey, in his inimitable style, blurted out, “Hey Carey, do you think you should have stopped that last one?”
We all tensed up, but Price turned back towards us and coolly responded, “I believe I should stop all of them.”
Price’s rise from relative obscurity in Anahim Lake, B.C. — population 2,000, if you include the fish — to star under the brightest spotlight of hockey-mad Montreal was built on that mentality. Coupled with his exceptional athleticism, it initially got him drafted fifth overall and eventually got him elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
In between, we were treated to awe-inspiring greatness.
It was in Leksand, Sweden, in 2007, with Canada seeking a third consecutive gold medal at the world junior championship and the United States threatening to end their run in the semifinal, that Price delivered his first dose of it.
“Back of my mind, I was panicking,” said Canada team member Karl Alzner when we rehashed the memory with him last summer, in anticipation of Price getting into the Hall on the first ballot. “I think we had won two in a row and, of course, you never want to lose to the U.S. So, I was nervous about the game, but I would say there were two things that were making me feel a lot better about it. One was knowing how good Jonathan Toews was in the shootout, and the other thing was seeing how calm Carey looked.”
Price had made 22 saves in regulation before coming up with 12 in the 10-minute overtime. And after both teams emerged tied from the first three rounds of the shootout, it got to sudden death.
Brian Little missed for Canada and left Price facing Patrick Kane to stave off elimination.
Kane came barreling in and threw two fakes before attempting to put the puck through Price’s pads, but the goaltender remained patient and clicked his heels together at the goal line to keep the game even.
Two Toews goals bookended one from Andrew Cogliano after the Americans got goals from Peter Mueller and Jack Johnson. Then Mueller had one last chance to keep the shootout going.
Canada beat Russia 4-2 in the final and Price was named tournament MVP after posting a .961 save percentage, a 1.14 goals-against average and two shutouts in six games.
He believed he should stop all the shots. He almost did.
“You could tell even in practice, where the shots were often harder to stop than in games because they were uninterrupted and undefended, that he would get really frustrated about the few that would squeak in, and that’s the mentality the greats have,” said Alzner. “If you were to ask the top scorers right now if they expect to score every game, they probably in their heads are thinking, ‘Yes.’ All the top shutdown defencemen think, ‘No one can get past me, not even McDavid.’
“Carey was always cool and calm, but he also always had that mentality of being able to stop everything. He was secretly one of the most competitive people there was. It was the case back then (at the 2007 world junior), and you look at his career and ask anybody who played in his era and they would say one of the scariest players to play against was Scary Carey.”
Those players considered Price the best player in the world in 2015, selecting him as the Ted Lindsay Award recipient shortly after the Canadiens ended up losing that series to Tampa in six games.
Price also captured the Hart, Vezina and Jennings Trophies that year, after he won 44 games, posted a .933 save percentage and a 1.96 goals-against average behind a Canadiens team that finished with the second-most points in the league but landed in the bottom third in goals for, power-play efficiency and shots on goal per game.
It was a lot of silverware added to Price’s mantle after he helped Canada earn gold at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. He got to play behind one of the greatest defences ever assembled, but he also stopped all but three of the 106 shots he faced to earn top goaltender honours in the tournament.
Price came up huge in a pressure-packed, 2-1 win over Latvia in the quarterfinals before delivering a 1-0 shutout against the U.S.A. in the semifinal and a 3-0 shutout against Sweden in the final.
Two years later, at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, Price put up a wall, going 5-0-0 and posting a .957 save percentage and 1.40 goals-against average. And that was after he missed all but 12 games of the 2015-16 NHL season with ligament damage in his knee.
Price returned to play 62 games the following year, but ultimately ended up on injury reserve far too frequently between 2017 and 2023, when it was finally determined — long after his last appearance in an NHL game — his knee could no longer withstand the rigours of NHL hockey.
Before coming to terms with that reality, Price faced another harsh one, checking himself into the NHL/NHLPA Players’ Assistance Program in the fall of 2021.
He later revealed he had been abusing alcohol and neglecting his mental health for years.
Price persevered, though, returning from the program and pushing through exhaustive rehab on his knee to play five of the final games of the 2022 season and capture the Bill Masterton Trophy.
The games Price played to close out the 2021 season were far more memorable.
That was when Price experienced some of the highest highs of his life, backstopping the Canadiens to the Stanley Cup Final before falling just three wins short of helping them beat the Lightning.
When asked what he thought was the difference in the five-game loss, Price said, “At the end of the day, I just don’t think I played well enough at the start of the series.” Just like when he was asked in 2015 about Johnson’s unstoppable shot, he shouldered blame that didn’t belong to him.
If not for Price, the Canadiens would’ve never found themselves in Tampa for the final to begin with.
“With the playoffs, he was obviously our MVP,” said Jake Evans via text message. “Such a calming presence back there. Made every save on the whole run look so easy and clearly frustrated/deflated opponents over the series with them knowing how hard it would be to score even one against him.”
The Toronto Maple Leafs got two against Price in a bid to eliminate the Canadiens in Game 6 of the first round.
But he made 13 saves in overtime before Jesperi Kotkaniemi scored to force Game 7.
Price then allowed only one goal in the clinching game in Toronto before allowing only six in a four-game sweep over the Winnipeg Jets in Round 2.
In Round 3, Price stopped 180 of 193 shots in a six-game win over the Vegas Golden Knights. And in Round 4, against the Lightning, the Canadiens were overmatched and overwhelmed in front of him.
Still, Price stopped 61 of the last 64 shots he faced in the series. But he came away feeling his best — and last — opportunity to win the Cup was lost because he didn’t come up with the saves he expected to make earlier.
“To come so close and not win, it’s pretty heart-wrenching,” Price said in a recent interview. “Results aside, the experience was something I’ll cherish forever.”
Price’s backup for the 2021 run, Jake Allen, told us that the experience of battling alongside Price was “a main highlight” of his career.
“He was a natural,” Allen texted. “He also had the combination of patience, mental clarity and confidence that is tough to teach or experience to understand.
“He was at a tier not many can reach, and that was noted through the league by his goalie peers and also (by) players. He was at a status not many can reach, and still has presence to this day.”
On this day, Price became the 44th goaltender elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
It’s an honour he earned by always believing he should stop every shot.
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