Vezina Trophy: Price, Rinne, Dubnyk named finalists

Carey Price is one of three finalists named by the NHL on Friday for the Vezina Trophy.

Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators and Devan Dubnyk of the Minnesota Wild are the other two finalists.

The Vezina Trophy is awarded to the top goalie in the league.

The winner will be announced June 24 during the 2015 NHL Awards in Las Vegas.

Price led NHL in wins

Price led the NHL in wins (44), goals-against average (1.96) and save percentage (.933), becoming the first goaltender to pace the league in all three categories since Ed Belfour did it with the Blackhawks in 1990-91.

The first-time Vezina finalist surpassed a 59-year-old franchise record for wins in one season. Jacques Plante set the former mark of 42 in 1955-56 and hit the same mark  in 1961-62. Ken Dryden also reached the milestone in 1975-76.

Price's save percentage was the third highest in a single season since the NHL began tracking the stat in 1976-77. He also tied for second in the NHL and set a career high with nine shutouts, the most by a Canadiens goaltender since 1976-77 when Dryden recorded 10.

Rinne led Predators to 100-point season

Rinne backstopped the Predators to their fifth 100-point season in franchise history and first playoff berth since 2012. He helped Nashville stay in the Central Division title race all season by going 34-7-2 in his first 43 decisions, including a 15-1-1 run from Dec. 16-Feb. 17, and finished the campaign with a 41-17-6 record in 64 appearances.

He tied for second in the NHL in wins, ranked third in goals-against average (2.18) and was seventh in save percentage (.923).

A Vezina finalist for the third time, Rinne finished second in voting in 2011 and third in 2012.

Dubnyk sets Wild record

Eight points outside of a playoff spot when he made his team debut on Jan. 15, Dubnyk backstopped the Wild to their third consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Dubnyk went 27-9-2 with a 1.78 goals-against average, .936 save percentage and five shutouts after joining the Wild. He set a franchise record with 38 straight starts following his acquisition from Arizona, 

He was the winning goaltender in 11 of the Wild's 12 consecutive road wins between Feb. 18 and Apr. 9 that tied the 2005-06 Red Wings for the longest such run ever.

Overall, the first-time Vezina finalist finished the season second in the NHL with a 2.07 goals-against average and .929 save percentage.

He also ranked in the top 10 in shutouts (tied for fourth with six) and wins (tied for sixth with 36).