Canadiens fans welcome Carey Price with spine-tingling ovation

The Montreal Canadiens welcomed Carey Price back to the Bell Centre with a memorable, spine-tingling ovation Tuesday night.

Canadiens fans cheered for close to four minutes during an on-ice ceremony, wildly serenading their longtime star goaltender with a blend of “Ca-rey! Ca-rey!” and “Olé, Olé” chants ahead of puck drop against the Minnesota Wild.

Price, meanwhile, stood beside the team benches, next to the five individual trophies he won over his illustrious career, as he attempted to get a word in.

“From the bottom of my heart, the most sincere ‘Merci beaucoup’,” Price told the crowd, his voice trembling.

Price spent his entire 15-year NHL career in Montreal after the Canadiens selected him fifth overall in the 2005 draft, becoming the franchise’s all-time leader with 361 wins. (Christopher Katsarov/ The Canadian Press)

Canadiens rookie goalie Jacob Fowler has been compared to Price thanks to his stoic, panic-free play style. Price himself has said Fowler is the goalie who reminds him most of himself.

The Canadiens ultimately lost 2-1 in overtime to the Wild, but Fowler made 22 saves in a fitting goalie duel against Minnesota's Jesper Wallstedt.

"One of the greatest goalies to ever play," Fowler said of Price after the game.

"It was crazy just to see the support of the fans. I didn't think the game was ever going to start after the ovation was going," he said.

"We were joking around about it that we didn't know how long it was gonna go. Just a really special moment and super emotional."

Growing up, Price’s father, Jerry, flew his son in a four-seat plane 320 kilometres from their hometown to Williams Lake, B.C., three times a week so he could play minor hockey. (Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)

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