Montreal Canadiens top goaltending prospect Jacob Fowler's Boston College Eagles had a date with the University of Michigan Wolverines on Thursday night.
The winner of the Frozen Four semi-finals books their ticket to the National Championship game. Lane Hutson and the Boston University Terriers lost the first semi-final of the day to the University of Denver Pioneers. So Fowler could stand to earn a little bit of bragging rights with a win over UofM.
The Boston College Eagles netminder registered a shutout in the Frozen Four semi-finals to book his squad's trip to the national championship game. Goal support came from the big guns, by way of a pair of goals from Will Smith. Cutter Gauthier and Gabe Perreault registered singles and the Eagles kept the University of Michigan Wolverines off the board.
"He's the best goalie in the country, by far," - Cutter Gauthier on Jacob Fowler. https://t.co/p71zb1ssqw
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) April 12, 2024
These performances by Fowler have become normal, but what he is doing as a Freshman against the best of the best that college has to offer is impressive. Division one college hockey is as competitive as it gets and there are bona fide NHL talents on every roster. But Fowler was all business as usual; the bigger the game the better he plays.
Elite goaltenders have that ‘it’ factor and, although Folwer has plenty of room to grow, he appears to have it. He relishes and hopes for the toughest matchups, where one mistake could be costly. Welcoming the pressure is one thing, but exceeding expectations when the games matter most takes a strong mental makeup.
Next up on the schedule is the University of Denver Pioneers. Fowler and the number-one-ranked Eagles will face fellow Canadiens prospect Sam Harris on Saturday evening. The winner takes home the Frozen Four National Championship.
Regardless of the outcome of the game on Saturday, Fowler is likely another season away from turning pro. Next year, will predictably be more of a challenge for Fowler since it's likely that Gauthier, Smith, Perreault and Ryan Leonard move on to their respective NHL clubs. The four forwards are in large part the backbone of the Eagles' offence, so Fowler will have a new challenge.
The championship pedigree oozes out of Fowler, and with it, his ridiculous numbers follow. He is looking to secure an NCAA national championship, roughly a year after he won the Clark Cup in USHL. Because of his success, it's a natural reaction to try and rush him; expecting he can turn pro after his Freshman season.
But that would be unwise, it's most sensical for him to play another year, that way the development of the goaltending at the pro level (Laval) can continue. With Jakub Dobes asserting himself as a solid prospect for the Habs future, Fowler can develop then come up in a backup role. Then the two can battle it out for the crease in Laval.
For now, though, Fowler will zero his focus in on the National Championship game on Saturday, looking to put a bow on a brilliant season.