Kotkaniemi revealed what Price said to the team to ignite the 3-1 comeback vs the Leafs

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Elias Edmonson
June 1, 2023 (9:38)

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All fans of the Canadiens remember the spring of 2021. It began with an incredible comeback in the first-round series against the Toronto Leafs and ended with a loss in the Stanley Cup finals.

The comeback made by Dominique Ducharme's team against the Ontario rivals is somewhat mythical. According to many, this feat was due, among other things, to veterans Shea Weber, Eric Staal, and Corey Perry, who spoke up to the players before game #5. Here is what came out, according to Jean-François Chaumont JdM, at the time.

A significant statement about Carey, and it comes from Jesperi Kotkaniemi:

At 1-3 against Toronto, we had a team meeting, like every day. I spoke about an opportunity we had. I asked some veterans: how many times have they had the chance to do something special? A guy like Shea Weber talked about his experience. Corey Perry also talked about his experiences, as did Eric Staal. I believe that everyone realized that it's not obvious. It's not easy being in the NHL playoffs. Today, there are 15 teams that aren't making the playoffs. When you have a chance to be there, you have to make the most of that chance. From there, our game really stepped up a notch.

We learn today, however, that another veteran played a crucial role in this comeback, Carey Price. According to what Jesperi Kotkaniemi recently reported, he changed the face of the series not only by his actions on the ice but also by his words in the locker room.

He's really quiet. Normally he doesn't say anything, but at some point, he gets up [during an intermission of the 5th game] and he says guys, we need to change something. He didn't snap, but he raised his voice, and everyone listened. [...] I think that was the turning point for us. - Jesperi Kotkaniemi

It's really interesting to see that Price felt that it was the last opportunity for him and other veterans to win a cup. He broke his silence at the right time and managed to whip the troops into action.

Even if in the end they didn't lift the precious trophy, they can still be proud of the achievement, which is not so common, of playing in the Stanley Cup finals!