A quiet moment on the ice has turned into a loud controversy off it. On Saturday night in New York, a sequence involving Jacob Fowler and several of his Montreal Canadiens teammates ignited a wave of criticism after a 5-4 overtime loss to the Rangers—a game the Habs had dominated early before watching it slip through their fingers.
Montreal’s start was electric. Zachary Bolduc opened the scoring with his seventh of the season, Arber Xhekaj followed with his first, and Jake Evans added his fifth late in the opening period. Early in the second, Josh Anderson made it 4-0, seemingly putting the Canadiens in full control.
But the night took a sharp turn.
Fowler Stands Tall, but His Teammates Do Not
Fowler, just 21 and making his second NHL start, once again showed poise beyond his years. Two days earlier, he had stunned Pittsburgh with a 36-save performance in a 4-2 win. On Saturday, he held strong through a chaotic momentum swing as the Rangers mounted a full comeback.
Yet the moment that has fans furious came after a Rangers goal, when Fowler was shoved near the crease—and no one in a Canadiens sweater reacted.
Not a shove back. Not a face wash. Not even a glare.
The silence on the ice was deafening.
In a market like Montreal, where Fowler’s three-year entry-level contract is seen as a rare opportunity to build around a young goaltender, such passivity is viewed as unacceptable.
“Im sorry, Fowler gets pushed in, someones gotta fight there,” wrote HFTV, echoing the sentiment of thousands.
High-Paid Leaders Under Scrutiny
Among those facing the harshest criticism is Noah Dobson, who had a busy night that included taking a penalty leading to a first-period penalty shot. With an eight-year, $76 million contract, expectations are clear: when the crease gets crowded, he is supposed to set the tone.
Instead, fans saw a young goaltender knocked over and no pushback whatsoever.
“Jacob Fowler got run over right after the NYR goal, no penalty called,” posted Habs On Reddit. “It is disappointing that none of his teammates stepped up.”
The frustration is amplified by the context: Fowler was not the reason the Canadiens lost. The team squandered a 3-0 lead, then a 4-1 lead, and ultimately fell on a J.T. Miller overtime power-play goal.
A Situation That Will Follow the Team Home
The Canadiens return to the Bell Centre on Sunday night, but the conversation will not stay in New York. Fowler’s treatment has become a talking point that will shadow the team until someone on the roster proves they are willing to defend their young netminder.
There were bright spots—Joe Veleno recorded his first assist with the Canadiens on Evans’ goal—but chemistry on the scoresheet must be matched by chemistry in the trenches.
Right now, the Habs have one and not the other.