WINNIPEG — Rookie netminder Jacob Fowler backstopped the Montreal Canadiens to a 2-1 triumph over the Winnipeg Jets on Sunday at the Heritage Classic, making 33 saves while extending a personal roll that has him winning five straight starts.
Fowler steady in cold-weather showcase
Fowler, who was inches away from a second shutout this season, was the deciding factor as Montreal protected a one-goal advantage through the final minutes at Princess Auto Stadium. The victory came on the heels of a 4-1 win in Chicago on Friday and keeps the Canadiens at 6-3-2.
The game’s momentum swung in the middle frame when defenceman Kaiden Guhle redirected a shot through traffic to give Montreal a two-goal cushion. Labelling that sequence the eventual game-winner, the play capped a productive second period for the visitors and proved enough despite Winnipeg’s late push.
Jets adjusting after major trade
Winnipeg, now 4-4-3, saw forward Isak Rosen score the lone goal for the home side — his first of the season — trimming the deficit to 2-1 with under five minutes remaining. The Jets’ attack was limited by a power play that went 0-for-4, while Montreal had no opportunities with the man advantage.
The outcome arrived just days after the Jets shipped franchise goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils, meaning Sunday's starter Stuart Skinner faced a heavy workload, stopping 19 shots. The game was also Winnipeg’s second outdoor appearance, following a previous 3-0 loss to Edmonton and an overtime victory over Calgary in 2019 at Mosaic Stadium.
- Goal and assists: Lane Hutson and Kaiden Guhle scored for Montreal; Cole Caufield recorded two assists.
- Goalkeeping: Jacob Fowler — 33 saves; Stuart Skinner — 19 saves.
- Special teams: Jets 0-for-4 on the power play; Canadiens had no power-play chances.
Impact on both clubs
For the Canadiens, the win improves an already promising start to the season and demonstrates depth in goal at a time when Montreal is managing injuries to key forwards — notably Nick Suzuki (hand) and Ivan Demidov (lower-body), both absent Sunday.
Montreal also improved its record in outdoor contests to 3-2. The club’s ability to generate timely scoring — showcased by Guhle’s decisive goal and Caufield’s playmaking — masked what otherwise was a low-event contest dominated by goaltending and defensive structure.
Winnipeg, meanwhile, continued a concerning trend of surrendering early leads: the Jets have allowed the first goal in seven of their last nine games and are 2-3-2 when trailing after the opening goal. The club also remained without All-Star defenceman Josh Morrissey, out for a sixth straight game.
| Team | Record (this game) | Goalie | Saves |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montreal Canadiens | 6-3-2 | Jacob Fowler | 33 |
| Winnipeg Jets | 4-4-3 | Stuart Skinner | 19 |
The Jets’ roster shift following the Hellebuyck trade was visible in net-minding decisions and will likely factor into how head coach and management allocate starts and workload as the season unfolds. Winnipeg will aim to sharpen its special teams and early-game play when it returns to Bell MTS Place to host the Florida Panthers on Tuesday.
Montreal heads to St. Louis on Tuesday, looking to carry Fowler’s form into a tighter schedule that will test the club’s depth while key forwards continue to recover.
Sunday’s Heritage Classic was a reminder that outdoor games still carry spectacle and tangible season implications: they create pressure-packed moments in front of large crowds but ultimately boil down to the same fundamentals — goaltending, special teams and timely scoring.
