Jacob Fowler on his special relationship with Canadiens legend Carey Price

Jacob Fowler opened up on his bond with Carey Price after the Canadiens beat the Maple Leafs, and the young goalie sounded like a kid again.

He's 21, a third-round pick (69th overall in 2023), and Jacob Fowler getting the start in Toronto ended with 26 saves in a 4-2 win Saturday night. Whether he asked for it or not, the Price name is the one he gets measured against in Montreal.

The Habs account on X shared Fowler's thoughts on staying in touch with Price, and the goalie didn't hold anything back.

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"It means the world. It's so surreal now. I still feel like a little kid every time I get to put on the gear."

He kept going, and this is the part Canadiens fans will remember: "It's so special to play (in Montreal) and in this (Habs) organization. The greats that have come before him and now before me, it's so special to even have my name in the same sentence."

Then came the line about the texts. "It's pretty cool to be a Hall of Famer, I think that's just part of the dream right now. Every time he texts me, it's pretty cool. We got the win for him tonight."

What Carey Price's texts mean for Fowler's future in Montreal

Price played 712 games and won 361 of them over 15 seasons, all with Montreal. Fowler has 27 career games. That gap is enormous, and nobody sensible expects him to close it quickly.

But the way he talks about the job matters. A young goalie who still feels like a kid putting on the pads, with a franchise legend in his phone, is carrying the pressure of that crease with some joy. That's a good sign.

It hasn't all been smooth. We reported Wednesday on Jacob Fowler's frustration after the Jets collapse, when the Canadiens let a 4-0 lead slip away. Saturday in Toronto was a response, and a win with Price's name attached to it.

Montreal sits 11-3-3 and is 8-0-2 over its last 10, so the goalie has plenty of support in front of him. The next test comes Tuesday, November 10, when the Canadiens host Minnesota.

Quick hits

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS: Gavin McKenna knew he was probably going to sit after his mistake against Montreal. The Maple Leafs weren't going to let him stew, though, and he has now shared what was said to him. Good for the kid.

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PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: Sidney Crosby moved past Marcel Dionne into sixth on the NHL's all-time points list as the Penguins beat the Kings 5-2 last night. Another night, another name passed.

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WASHINGTON CAPITALS: The Capitals beat the Panthers 4-3 yesterday and woke up Sunday one point behind the Rangers for third in the Metro. That's a nice climb, though one red flag still lingers.

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NEW JERSEY DEVILS: Matthew Schaefer has explained why he and Luke Hughes were throwing punches on Long Island. The league is buzzing about it this morning, and it's easy to see why.

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CAROLINA HURRICANES: Jesperi Kotkaniemi opened up on how he stays positive after the Hurricanes' 9-2 win over the Blackhawks. Jordan Martinook added his own words about him, which is always a good look in a locker room.

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