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Carey Price to make season debut Thursday night vs. Coyotes

October 6, 2016: Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) makes a save during the second period of a preseason NHL game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
October 6, 2016: Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price (31) makes a save during the second period of a preseason NHL game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

When the Montreal Canadiens host the Arizona Coyotes Thursday night, there will be a familiar face back in their net.

Carey Price will make his first start for the Habs since Nov. 25, 2015. He missed the final five months of last season due to a lower-body injury and has been sidelined for the start of the 2016-17 NHL campaign with the flu.

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After skating and taking shots on his own for the last several days, Price took part in a full practice on Wednesday with his teammates and said he felt good. He told reporters that he lost 7-8 pounds while being quarantined in his basement battling the flu. Canadiens head coach Michel Therrien said it was the netminder’s “best day” on the ice and was optimistic for his return Thursday night.

This won’t be Price’s first action of the year. He played five games for Canada while helping them to the World Cup of Hockey title last month and also made one preseason start for the Canadiens.

In Price’s absence, Al Montoya has played well to help the Canadiens get off to a 2-0-1 start. The positivity in the city of Montreal is only going to rise going forward now that the franchise’s No. 1 is returning.

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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!