Jacob Fowler was spectacular despite the Montreal Canadiens' collapse against the Winnipeg Jets. The Canadiens conceded four goals in the final 2:39 of the third period before losing in overtime. It is hard to place the blame on Fowler, who had 42 saves in the contest. Even though Fowler was one of the main reasons the Canadiens were in a position to win, it was the kind of collapse that could test the confidence of any young goaltender.
After getting the night off against the Utah Mammoth, Fowler returned to the crease against the Toronto Maple Leafs with an opportunity to put the Winnipeg collapse behind him. He stopped 26 of 28 shots faced, and despite a mid-third-period scare, left Toronto with the 4-2 win. At just 21 years old, Fowler continues to display a level of maturity rarely seen in goaltenders his age.
Fowler, the calming presence
Fowler was ready to go from the opening puck drop. Toronto got a clear-cut scoring opportunity just over three minutes into the game. Brandon Duhaime was left alone in the slot, but his shot would not get past Fowler, who was well positioned on the opportunity. He looked like his usual self early, but even for how well he played, you still need some puck luck to go your way.
After the Canadiens scored to make it 1-0, Toronto had a chance to equalize the game. William Nylander's wrist shot beat Fowler, but the puck rang off the post. An inch to the right and it would have been in the back of the net. While Fowler needed some luck to keep that one out of the net, a little later in the period, he made some magic of his own.
With the Canadiens leading by two, Fowler made a spectacular point-blank save on Auston Matthews. Right after a face-off, Easton Cowan found Matthews alone in front for a perfect deflection chance. But Fowler was equal to the task, seeing the puck all the way and getting his blocker up to steer the chance away. Fowler maintained the Canadiens' lead at two.
The Canadiens extended their lead to three in the second period, with Fowler continuing to keep Toronto off the scoresheet. Everything was going well, but the third period brought back some painful memories of what transpired against Winnipeg.
The Canadiens were in full control of the game, but a questionable Arber Xhekaj penalty gave Toronto a chance to get back in the game, and they capitalized on it. Nylander cut the lead to two, and less than a minute later, Gavin McKenna scored to make it one. It was a moment of déjà vu from the Winnipeg loss, but Fowler was not flustered.
According to Alex Newhook, Fowler went to the bench during the commercial break and told the team everything would be all right. Fowler’s unique ability to stay calm in these situations was exactly what the team needed. The Canadiens added a fourth with 7:45 remaining, putting the game out of reach and ensuring there would be no repeat of their collapse against Winnipeg.
Fowler is unflappable
Fowler's calm presence in goal has drawn comparisons to newly inducted Hall of Famer Carey Price. Much like Price, Fowler has shown a rare ability to remain composed under pressure, giving his teammates confidence even when things are not going their way.
“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. Having a goaltender who remains composed regardless of the situation gives the players in front of him confidence that he will continue battling until the final whistle. It is not just the players who feel Fowler’s presence in net, but the coaching staff as well.
“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.
The level at which Fowler is playing has rarely been seen for a goalie his age. He has helped get the Canadiens 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. Fowler has been viewed as the Canadiens' goaltender of the future since his days in college, but his early performances suggest he might be ready for that responsibility sooner than expected.
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