- Jacob Fowler became the youngest goalie to start and win an NHL outdoor game
- The 21-year-old Canadiens rookie won his fifth straight start in the Heritage Classic and was named first star
- Read below for what Fowler, Martin St. Louis and Noah Dobson said
Jacob Fowler just set a record nobody expected him to be chasing in October.
The 21-year-old Canadiens goalie became the youngest netminder in NHL history to start and win an outdoor game, backstopping Montreal to a 2-1 win over the Jets in the Heritage Classic on Sunday in Winnipeg. He was named first star.
Fowler also won his fifth straight start. He improved to 5-1-0 this season with a 1.79 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage.
Fowler was asked about playing in the stadium atmosphere and said he never wanted it to end.
“This game was different than a lot of other games I played where a lot of times, you’re looking at the clock kind of waiting for it to run out,” Fowler said. “Obviously you want to get the win, but I think tonight was one of those games where you never want the game to end.”
Hutson put Montreal ahead in the second period and Kaiden Guhle doubled the lead. Here’s the opening goal:
Isak Rosen finally beat Fowler late in the third to make it 2-1 and spoil the shutout:
Fowler almost didn’t get this chance. He started the year with Laval and was called up Oct. 7 after Sam Montembeault got hurt in practice. He lost his first start to Nashville and hasn’t lost since.
Fowler said he was disappointed when he first got sent down because he figured he would miss this game. His shutout against the Red Wings earlier this month started the run, and he won the Heritage Classic start over Jakub Dobes after that. We had already noted the goalie battle was tilting his way.
Martin St. Louis was asked about Fowler’s play and kept it simple.
“That position is a very important position and he’s playing very well for a young guy,” St. Louis said. “It’s all positive what he’s doing, and I think he’s done that at every level.”
Noah Dobson talked about what Fowler is like in the room and said he is locked in during games but a goofball in the dressing room.
“He’s a goofball, I never played with a goalie that at the intermission is laughing or chirping guys,” Dobson said. “He’s 21 years old in the National Hockey League on this stage and playing the way he is, he’s having a great time with it.”
Montreal has done it without captain Nick Suzuki, who is out 2-4 weeks with an upper-body injury. Fowler owns both wins in that stretch.
