Jacob Fowler sets Montreal Canadiens record for saves by a rookie in 2-0 win over St. Louis Blues

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Jacob Fowler recorded a record-setting performance Tuesday night in St. Louis, making 42 saves to help the Canadiens defeat the St. Louis Blues 2-0. The save total was the most by a rookie in a single game in Canadiens history, with Fowler turning aside 42 of 46 shots in the victory.

The key sequence came in the third period, when Fowler made a stop at 17:45, denying a snap attempt from Blues forward Connor McMichael. Overall, Fowler’s goaltending kept Montreal in control, finishing the game with the 42-save effort that carried the Canadiens to their third consecutive win on their four-game road trip.

According to the league record notes included with the announcement, Fowler’s 46-save game cleared the mark previously held in Montreal by Tony Esposito and Cayden Primeau. With 46 total saves, Fowler passed Esposito’s 41 saves from Dec. 21, 1968, and Primeau’s 41 saves from March 12, 2024; the Canadiens’ announcement also clarifies that Esposito had not yet been a rookie at the time because he won the Calder Trophy with the 1969-70 Chicago Black Hawks.

The Canadiens’ win also continued a personal stretch for Fowler. His sixth consecutive win improved his run of consecutive wins dating back to the previous season, and the announcement states that only three other rookie goalies in NHL history have had longer winning streaks: Brent Johnson, Joseph Woll, and Pelle Lindbergh. The Canadiens’ goaltending record context provided alongside the update places Fowler among an elite group of rookie goalies, while noting that the NHL record for consecutive wins by a rookie goalie remains 12, set by Ross Brooks of the Boston Bruins from Dec. 30, 1973, through Feb. 28, 1974.

Fowler’s shutout was his second of the season, with the announcement noting that his first came in a rare regulation-time double shutout against the Detroit Red Wings at the Bell Centre on Oct. 10. It also cites a separate prior NHL shutout, including a 31-save shutout win over the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 20, 2025.

The Canadiens extended their dominance after regulation and beyond the defensive work in the game, and the announcement further notes that Fowler’s successful season has been supported by a wider group of Montreal goaltending history. It references franchise streak benchmarks in which George Hainsworth won 11 straight in 1927, one more than Bill Durnan in 1944 and Rogie Vachon in 1968, while also listing additional streaks by other Canadiens goalies that give historical context to Fowler’s current run.

Montreal’s immediate schedule impact is clear: Tuesday’s win kept the Canadiens on track through the final games of their four-game road trip. The trip concludes Thursday at American Airlines Center against the Dallas Stars, with the game listed for a 8 p.m. ET start and broadcast details including Prime Video, TSN2, and RDS.

Fowler’s postgame comments were included in the league’s game recap, in which he indicated he felt “a little tired” after the win but expected to be fine with the days off, and he said the team “gave me a chance,” crediting the defensemen for providing a clear look on incoming shots. The announcement also situates Fowler’s run within a broader list of Canadiens goaltenders with streaks while age 21 or younger, including Rogie Vachon and Carey Price, whose induction as a member of the Class of 2026 is referenced in the update.

The record-setting shutout also extended a broader tradition in Canadiens goaltending history, with the announcement drawing a connection to past Montreal performances by Hockey Hall of Famers. It references Tony Esposito’s history with games in Montreal, including an outlined 1968 sequence that included an all-time shutout context, while tying that historic background to Fowler’s current milestone.

Fowler’s franchise record adds to a season where the Canadiens have relied on his steadiness between the pipes. After Tuesday’s 2-0 victory over the Blues, the Canadiens will carry the momentum into their Thursday meeting with the Dallas Stars, seeking to close out the road trip on a strong note with another goaltending-led performance.

Top photo credit in the league material identifies the Canadiens goalie Jacob Fowler in action against St. Louis Blues forward Jonatan Berggren during Montreal’s 2-0 win in St. Louis on Oct. 27, 2026.