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Bell Centre erupts as Jacob Fowler earns first NHL shutout in Canadiens' win over Penguins
Saturday night, the Montreal Canadiens shut out the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0, and that is when the moment hit.
Fowler, 21 years old, just recorded his first career shutout in the NHL.
When the final seconds ran out, the crowd delivered a massive ovation, the kind of noise that gives you chills even from the couch.
Here is the sequence in question below:
Montreal left the ice with a record of 19-12-4 and 42 points, while Pittsburgh suffered the loss with a record of 14-11-9 and 37 points.
Juraj Slafkovsky struck on the power play to set the table. Owen Beck then scored his first NHL goal. Josh Anderson added a shorthanded goal, then sealed it with an empty-netter.
The Penguins finished the night with 31 shots, and Montreal had 21.
The siren sounded, then the Bell Centre stood for Jacob Fowler
What makes the story even more special is the context around him. The Canadiens drafted him 69th overall in 2023, and he is already writing his first lines.
Fowler is on an entry-level contract of three seasons, from 2025-2026 to 2027-2028. His cap hit is $923,333, and his salary this season is $950,000.
Before stealing the spotlight in Montreal, he was also strong with the Laval Rocket, with a record of 10-5-0, a goals-against average of 2.09, and a save percentage of .919.
There are nights when the score matters, and there are nights when the Bell Centre's reaction speaks even louder. This Saturday, the crowd did not just applaud a win.
It saluted a moment, a name, and a first shutout that is likely to stay in people's minds for a long time.
Call it what you want, but it was an incredible scene.