Bottom Six Minutes: Jacob Fowler’s late-game heroics seal huge win

In the midst of a heated battle for positioning in the Atlantic, the Montreal Canadiens completed a back-to-back on Wednesday night by visiting the Ottawa Senators. After falling down 2-1 in the first period, the Habs played well to tie things up in the second, eventually taking the lead in the third. That set up a tense ending to regulation play, as we know that the Habs are prone to giving up late game-tying goals, and that the Senators are a gifted offensive team desperate to make up ground in their quest to join the playoff picture.

With a one-goal lead in the dying minutes, Jacob Fowler rose to the occasion and secured a crucial win after being called up from Laval earlier in the day.

Absolutely unreal final minute from Jacob Fowler to seal the win.

Price like. pic.twitter.com/bCq178Z3SF

— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) March 12, 2026

If it felt a little Price-like, it’s because it was. It had been a relatively close game for 58 minutes, but the Habs had an edge in terms of scoring chances, and expected goals. The Senators threw everything and the kitchen sink at Fowler with their net empty, and he slammed the door shut. He seemed to be absolutely everywhere all at once, positioning himself well, but also displaying the athleticism required to stop the shots he wasn’t entirely prepared for. It was a truly amazing moment from the rookie goaltender that has huge implications for the team’s playoff hopes.

The win brings them level with the Tampa Bay Lightning at 82 points, simultaneously creating some breathing room between the Habs and other teams vying for a playoff spot. To get it done in regulation is even bigger, as it is entirely possible that such wins become important for a potential tie-breaker scenario when the regular season comes to a close.

I had opined on Monday that calling Fowler up would be the right idea for this back-to-back. Toronto seemed like a good starting point for his return to the big club, leaving Jakub Dobeš with the ostensibly tougher matchup against Ottawa. The organization felt differently, putting a big spotlight on Fowler with such an important matchup for divisional position, and he proved that decision to be a brilliant one.

Some other young players deserve some credit for the win as well. Ivan Demidov was a menace on nearly every shift he took, and Juraj Slafkovsky turned in another forceful outing, notwithstanding his miss on the empty net in the third period. It took a strong team effort on less than 24 hours rest, but Fowler simply stole the show at the end.

Knowing that he’s capable of this, I can’t see how the organization would consider sending him back to Laval.

Click the play button below to listen to your full Bottom Six Minutes, also available wherever you get your podcasts. We’ll be back on Saturday night, when the Habs will start a Bell Centre back-to-back with a visit from the San Jose Sharks.