Price to start for Canada in opener vs Norway

NHL insider Chris Johnston discusses Price and Luongo splitting the first two games of the round-robin, but coach Babcock still hasn’t tipped his hand on whether he already has a consensus number one tender in mind.

SOCHI, Russia — Carey Price will be in goal when Team Canada plays its first game at the Sochi Olympics.

Head coach Mike Babcock says the Montreal Canadiens netminder will start against Norway on Thursday.

Roberto Luongo of the Vancouver Canucks will start Canada’s second game against Austria.

Babcock did not give a rationale for the decision.

“I was going to play one of them in (each of) the first two games,” Babcock said. “If I had put Luongo in, you’d be asking me the same question.”

It will be Price’s Olympic debut, while Luongo was in goal when Canada won the gold medal in Vancouver four years ago.

Luongo said he everyone’s “here to play for Team Canada,” in accepting Babcock’s decision.

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