The roar of Madison Square Garden was deafening, but for a fleeting moment, time seemed to freeze. Under the harsh glare of the Saturday night lights, Jacob Fowler stood alone—his eyes locked on the chaos unfolding around him, as if daring the world to blink first. The scoreboard flashed “5-4 Rangers,” yet what truly mattered was the silent drama playing out in the crease, a drama that would ignite a firestorm of debate across Montreal and beyond.

It began with a collision—one of those split-second moments that define careers and fracture loyalties. Fowler, just 21 and barely two games into his NHL journey, found himself shoved by a Rangers forward right after a crucial goal. The crowd surged, the officials looked away, and the Canadiens bench? Frozen. No one stepped forward. No gloves dropped. No words exchanged. The silence was as heavy as the expectations that now rest on Fowler’s shoulders.

Hours earlier, the Tricolore had looked unstoppable. Zachary Bolduc’s early strike was a promise; Arber Xhekaj and Jake Evans followed with goals that seemed to seal Montreal’s fate as victors. Josh Anderson’s tally in the second period was the exclamation point on what should have been a routine win. But hockey, like fate, is rarely kind to those who count their victories too soon.

As the Rangers clawed back, led by J.T. Miller’s relentless assault, the Canadiens’ confidence crumbled. The lead evaporated, replaced by the kind of nervous energy that only a New York crowd can conjure. Fowler, who had stunned Pittsburgh with 36 saves in his debut, now faced a barrage not just of shots but of doubts—about his team, about his protection, about what it means to be a young goaltender in a city that demands heroes.

The aftermath was immediate. Social media lit up with outrage and disbelief. “Someone’s gotta fight there,” one fan declared, echoing the sentiment of thousands. The absence of a response from Fowler’s teammates was more than a tactical error—it was a breach of hockey’s unwritten code, the kind of moment that fans and analysts dissect for weeks. Noah Dobson, expected to be a leader with his $76 million contract, was nowhere to be found in the melee. Joe Veleno, fresh off his first assist as a Hab, watched as chemistry on the ice failed to translate into solidarity.

This wasn’t just another overtime loss. This was a referendum on the Canadiens’ identity—a team that, for all its history and promise, had left its youngest member exposed at the most critical moment. Fowler’s entry-level contract may offer a window of hope, but hope is fragile in Montreal. The city’s hockey faithful know that a single lapse can haunt a player for years.

Sunday night at the Bell Centre will bring another game, another chance for redemption. But the questions remain, swirling like the winter wind outside. Will the Canadiens rally around their young goaltender, or will this moment of silence echo through the season? As the dust settles and the headlines fade, one thing is clear: Jacob Fowler’s story is just beginning, and everyone is watching to see who will stand with him when the lights are brightest.

Photo of Jacob Fowler vs Rangers

Photo credit: All Montreal Hockey / NHL

Saturday night in New York, a sequence involving Jacob Fowler and some teammates got people talking.

The Montreal Canadiens let a game slip away that they had firmly in hand, falling 5-4 in overtime to the Rangers. J.T. Miller struck twice, including the game-winning power-play goal, after a complete comeback by the home team.

The Tricolore’s start to the game was downright spectacular. Zachary Bolduc opened the scoring with his 7th, Arber Xhekaj followed with his 1st, then Jake Evans scored his 5th late in the first period. Josh Anderson then added the Canadiens’ fourth goal early in the second period.

Jacob Fowler Holds His Own in Second NHL Start, but Lack of Support Raises Concerns

The 21-year-old goaltender was making only his second NHL start, and he still held the fort in a game that turned into a roller coaster. Two days earlier, he had earned a 4-2 win in Pittsburgh by making 36 saves in his very first NHL game.

Fowler is signed to an entry-level contract with the Canadiens for three seasons, with an average annual value of $923,333. In a market like Montreal, that gives you a golden window to build something solid around a young goaltender.

Where things break down is after a Rangers goal, when Fowler gets shoved near the crease and the reaction is slow to come.

On the ice, everything stays quiet-too quiet-and that is precisely the kind of detail fans do not forgive. When you leave your young goaltender alone, you are playing with fire.

“Im sorry, Fowler gets pushed in, someones gotta fight there” – HFTV

Noah Dobson had a busy game, including a penalty that led to a penalty shot in the first period, and he is also one of the players expected to step up when things get heated around the net. With his eight-year, $76 million contract, the standards are automatically higher.

“Jacob Fowler got run over right after the NYR goal, no penalty called” – Habs On Reddit

It is disappointing that none of his teammates stepped up to help or defend Fowler.

Although his second game with the Habs came with a loss, it clearly was not his fault-especially after the team let a 3-0 lead slip away in that fashion.

The Canadiens are back in action Sunday night at the Bell Centre, and this situation will follow Fowler everywhere. As for Joe Veleno, he picked up his first assist with the Habs on Evans’ goal, and that kind of chemistry also has to come with pushback.