Canadiens Edge Jets 2-1 in Heritage Classic in Winnipeg
The Montreal Canadiens defeated the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 at the outdoor Heritage Classic in Winnipeg, with Jacob Fowler making 34 saves for the win.
Montreal continued its four-game road trip by beating the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 in the Heritage Classic held at the Blue Bombers stadium in Winnipeg. More than 30,000 spectators attended the outdoor contest.
Jacob Fowler recorded 34 saves on 35 shots, posting a .971 save percentage and improving his season Goals Saved Above Expected to 6.3, placing him fifth in the league for the metric.
The first goal came after 27 minutes when Noah Dobson delivered a cross-crease pass to Lane Hutson, who scored his third goal of the season. Cole Caufield added a second point for Montreal, and the team finished the night with a plus-two rating on the top line.
Winnipeg’s leading line of Mark Scheifele, Cole Perfetti and Kyle Connor generated ten shots in the first period, but the Canadiens limited the Jets to a single goal.
"We need to understand what the game needs from us," said former player Martin St. Louis, a comment referenced by the Canadiens’ coaching staff after the win.
The victory gave Montreal a 2-1 lead with four minutes remaining, and the team held on despite a late penalty taken by Winnipeg forward Josh Anderson.
The game also marked a notable performance by rookie Alexander Zharovsky, who recorded five points in his last three games and reached 14 points in 20 games this season.