What a start to the Eastern Conference Finals for the Montreal Canadiens. The Canadiens, who just finished their second round series against the Buffalo Sabres this past Monday, took on the Carolina Hurricanes, who had an astounding 11-day break. While that debate will be for another day, the Canadiens took Game 1 with relative ease, defeating the Hurricanes 6-2.
The talk will be about Montreal's offense that exploded in Game 1, but once again, goalie Jakub Dobes shined. In the victory, Dobes stopped 26-of-28 shots on goal. Most of those shots arrived in the first two periods, with Carolina only mustering two shots in the entire third period. Dobes has been on an incredible run in these playoffs, and he's now made history.
According to Sportsnet Stats, Dobes is now the third rookie goalie in NHL history to win seven of their first nine road decisions in a single playoffs, joining Ron Hextall in 1987 and Jordan Binnington in 2019.
Jakub Dobes
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) May 22, 2026
Joins Ron Hextall (1987) & Jordan Binnington (2019) as the only rookie goalies in NHL history win 7 of their first 9 road decisions in one postseason#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/8n6fl8m0GW
Jakub Dobes becomes third rookie goalie in history to win seven of first nine road decisions
Hextall was able to win his seven of his first nine road games in the playoffs, which helped the Flyers win the Eastern Conference Championship in 1987. However, they would lose in seven games to the Edmonton Oilers. During that Stanley Cup Final, Hextall lost three of four road games for Philadelphia, including in Game 7.
Binnington, meanwhile, may have helped the Blues have the most improbable runs to a Stanley Cup title in recent memory. Through the first three rounds, Binnington won seven of nine road games. In the Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins, Binnington won three of four road games, including Game 7, where he stopped 32-of-33 shots faced in a 4-1 victory. The Blues went from last place earlier in the season to Stanley Cup champions, and Binnington's great run helped them accomplish that goal.
The common theme is that both goalies made it to the Stanley Cup Final. Will Dobes follow in Hextall's and Binnington's footsteps and make it to the Stanley Cup Final?
It has been a great run for Dobes. Not only did he accomplish this feat, but he also became just the second rookie goalie to win multiple Game 7s on the road in a single postseason, joining Ken Dryden back in 1971. Through 15 playoff games, Dobes has a 2.48 goals allowed average and a .911 save percentage.
Dobes has shown that he can stand on his head when necessary, but his job would be much easier if he had scoring help. Luckily for him, the Canadiens offense provided just that for him. It certainly doesn't hurt that they gave him a 4-1 lead after the first period on Thursday night. We'll see if they can continue this momentum, and if Dobes will make it eight of 10 road wins this postseason with a Game 2 win on Saturday.
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