Jacob Fowler left the ice unhappy last night after the Canadiens let a 4-0 lead slip away against the Jets, according to BarDown.
The Canadiens lost 5-4 in overtime to Winnipeg on Tuesday night, and the final minutes turned a comfortable evening into a mess. For a team that had been rolling, it was an ugly way to drop a point.
Fowler finished with 42 saves on 47 shots and a no-decision after 63:30 on the ice. Samberg got the game-winning goal for the Jets, and Fowler walked away with nothing to show for a heavy workload.
The scene stands out because it's a sharp turn from a week ago, when Fowler's shutout drew Jim Montgomery's strong words for Jacob Fowler. Back then the talk was about how well he was handling the net. Last night it was about how he reacted when it fell apart.
BarDown noted that Fowler was not happy coming off the ice after the Habs blew the lead with only a couple minutes to go.
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Why Fowler's frustration matters in Montreal's crease
Frustration from a goalie after 47 shots against is understandable. He stood tall for most of the night, and the late collapse wasn't on him.
Winnipeg got big nights from its stars. Kyle Connor scored twice on 8 shots and played 27:50, while Cole Caufield answered with two power-play goals for Montreal. It still wasn't enough.
The Jets came in 26th in the NHL with a 5-8-3 record, so this is a game the Canadiens will want back. Montreal sits 9-3-3, second in the Atlantic Division, and it had a 7-1-2 run over its last 10 before this one.
Fowler is 21 and has 26 NHL games on his résumé. He was a third-round pick, 69th overall in 2023, and he's already being asked to carry a real share of the load. The Canadiens were likely to keep Fowler in a three-goalie setup, according to Pagnotta, so every start gets scrutiny.
A team that gives up a four-goal lead has bigger questions than one goalie's body language. But the late breakdown and a goalie who clearly cared about it will both follow the Canadiens into Thursday's game against Utah.
Should Canadiens fans welcome Jacob Fowler's visible anger after the collapse against the Jets?
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