Jacob Fowler didn’t just survive the Canadiens’ latest roller-coaster. He steadied it.
After Montreal watched a game against the Winnipeg Jets slip away in brutal fashion, giving up four goals in the final 2:39 of the third period before losing in overtime, Fowler had every reason to look rattled. He had been excellent in that game, finishing with 42 saves, but collapses like that can linger with a young goalie.
Instead, the 21-year-old came back against the Toronto Maple Leafs and handled the moment like a veteran. Fowler stopped 26 of 28 shots in Montreal’s 4-2 win, and even when the third period started to tilt the wrong way, he never looked shaken.
He was sharp right from the start. Toronto had a dangerous chance just over three minutes into the game when Brandon Duhaime was left alone in the slot, but Fowler was set and denied him.
Later, after Montreal opened the scoring, William Nylander nearly answered with a wrist shot that beat Fowler but clanged off the post. That one needed a little luck to stay out.
Fowler also made a huge stop when the Canadiens were up by two. Right after a face-off, Easton Cowan set up Auston Matthews in front for a point-blank deflection chance, but Fowler tracked it cleanly and got his blocker on the puck to keep Montreal in control.
The Canadiens pushed their lead to three in the second period, and Fowler kept Toronto quiet through it all. Then came the third, and with it, a familiar scare.
A questionable Arber Xhekaj penalty gave the Maple Leafs a chance, and they took advantage. Nylander cut the lead to two, and less than a minute later Gavin McKenna made it a one-goal game.
It had the feel of Winnipeg all over again. Fowler didn’t let it become that.
According to Alex Newhook, Fowler came to the bench during the commercial break and told the team everything would be all right. That kind of composure is quickly becoming part of his identity. The Canadiens responded by scoring a fourth goal with 7:45 left, and this time there was no late collapse to fear.
Fowler’s calm in net has already started drawing comparisons to newly inducted Hall of Famer Carey Price, and the resemblance is easy to see in the way he carries himself. He doesn’t get dragged into the chaos around him. He settles things down.
“He’s got a good presence back there. He’s got a calming presence for sure.
For a young guy to be able to step up like that and come to the bench, he’s not panicking. We know he’s going to be on it behind us, it’s good.
I liked hearing it,” Newhook said.
Martin St. Louis saw the same thing from behind the bench.
“He looks very comfortable, confident. I think we’re trying to play well in front of him, so he doesn’t have to steal a game for us, and I thought tonight he did his job, and I think we did our job in front of him,” Martin St. Louis said when discussing Fowler’s unique ability to not get rattled.
Fowler has now helped the Canadiens get at least a point in his last nine starts. The last rookie goalie 21 years old or younger to do that was Braden Holtby with the Washington Capitals during the 2010-11 season. Montreal has viewed Fowler as the goaltender of the future since his college days, but his early run suggests that future may be arriving sooner than expected.
In Other News...
Canadiens Took Control Of Toronto Then Had To Survive A Scare
Montreal looked in command for most of the night against Toronto, skating out to a 3-0 lead and getting a big offensive push from Alex Newhook, who scored twice in the win. For a team that has been trying to stack points and keep building momentum, it was the kind of start that suggested a tidy road victory was there to be had.
Instead, the third period turned into a test of nerve. The Maple Leafs scored twice to make things uncomfortable, but the Canadiens answered with a power-play goal to regain control and then survived a double-minor penalty to close out the 4-2 victory, a finish that was far less routine than the early lead had promised. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Suddenly Face A Risky Goalie Decision
The Canadiens goaltending picture has become a little murkier at just the wrong time. Samuel Montembeault is on injured reserve and nearing the end of his contract, while Jacob Fowlers recent play has given Montreal another name to weigh in the mix. For Kent Hughes, that means the position is no longer just about getting through the moment, but about deciding how much stability he wants to preserve for the stretch ahead.
Chicagos move with Arvid Soderblom adds another layer to the equation because it can shift the market around Montreals options. The Canadiens have already drawn trade interest in Montembeault, and any change in the available goalie pool could affect how aggressively they move, or whether they hold off and let the situation develop a little longer. [Read more 🡒]
Jake Evans Just Reignited A Canadiens Rumor Fans Can't Ignore
Jake Evans managed to stir up a familiar kind of Canadiens chatter this week when he said any player would want to play in Montreal, a comment that immediately sent fans back to the same place they always seem to land when a big-name center becomes available. The idea of Dylan Larkin in a Canadiens sweater has been floating around the edges of the rumor mill for a while, and Evans remark only gave it fresh oxygen as Montreal continues its strong start and keeps looking like a team worth thinking about in bigger-picture terms.
The problem, as always, is that the fit is not nearly as simple as the fantasy. Larkin has asked for a trade, Detroits situation keeps inviting speculation, and the possibility of a multi-team deal is the kind of thing that naturally gets discussed when a player of his stature is involved. But Montreal remains the tricky part of the equation, and until that changes, the Canadiens can enjoy the buzz without assuming it means much more than another round of offseason-style intrigue in the middle of the season. [Read more 🡒]