Jacob Fowler records 46-save shutout as Canadiens beat Blues 2-0
Goalie Jacob Fowler stopped 46 shots in a 2-0 win over the St. Louis Blues, giving Montreal its third consecutive victory despite injuries to key forwards.
Jacob Fowler delivered a 46-save shutout as the Montreal Canadiens defeated the St. Louis Blues 2-0 on Tuesday in St. Louis. The rookie goaltender, who started his third consecutive game, allowed only two goals while facing 48 shots, improving his season save percentage to .942.
The Canadiens opened the scoring when Zachary Bolduc netted his fifth goal of the season on a shot to the top corner. Florian Xhekaj added a second goal, deflecting a Mike Matheson shot for his first NHL goal.
Coach Martin St. Louis kept Fowler in net despite the absence of forwards Nick Suzuki and Ivan Demidov, noting the team’s need to rely on strong defensive play while key offensive players recover.
"Fowler’s positioning and composure were critical in a game where the Blues generated a lot of traffic in front of the net," the coach said after the game.
The win extends Montreal’s winning streak to three games and highlights the importance of its goaltending as the team works to improve a power play that currently ranks 28th in the league.