In the quiet of the Canadian Tire Centre corridor, the travel-worn Canadiens locker door opens to a goalie kit being readied for work — Jacob Fowler’s pads unstrapped and laced, the brief shuffle of teammates getting set for the night against the sénateurs d’ottawa. The recall that brought Fowler back up from the AHL’s Laval Rocket also set the roster shifts for a back-to-back that has altered the starting unit.
Will Jacob Fowler start against the Sénateurs D’ottawa?
Yes. The Canadiens announced that Jacob Fowler has been recalled from the Laval Rocket and that he will start in goal for Montreal against the Sénateurs D’ottawa. The matchup is scheduled for a 7: 30 p. m. ET puck drop on the second night of a back-to-back, with the Canadiens having traveled to Ottawa by train ahead of the game.
Why was Fowler recalled and what are his recent numbers?
Fowler, 21, returns after a stint with the Laval Rocket. He recently returned to Rocket action in a 4-2 win over Rochester; that appearance was his first since he missed time with an upper-body injury that also forced him out of the AHL All-Star Classic. Earlier this season he was recalled by Montreal for a 10-game NHL stint in which he registered a 4-4-2 record and recorded his first career shutout while maintaining roughly a. 902 save percentage and a 2. 62 goals-against average. With the Rocket this campaign, he made 27 appearances and posted a. 916 save percentage and a 2. 23 goals-against average. The organization also lists Fowler as a third-round draft pick in 2023 and notes that he made his NHL debut earlier this season.
What else changes for tonight’s lineup and context around the game?
Beyond the crease change, the Canadiens adjusted their forward group: Cole Caufield felt unwell following the prior night’s game and will not play, with Alexandre Texier stepping into the lineup. Another roster milestone looms as Jake Evans is slated to play his 400th NHL game. Montreal sits in the final wild-card spot in the East, and the decision to recall Fowler comes as the club manages fatigue and availability on consecutive nights.
On the human side, the quick lift from the Laval Rocket to an NHL start reshapes the immediate rhythm for Fowler and his teammates. The recall follows a pattern of internal moves the organization has used this season to respond to injuries and schedule demands, and it places a young goaltender back into a high-pressure environment on the road against Ottawa’s home crowd.
As the pregame minutes wind down, the Canadiens’ dressing-room bustle returns to the corridor where Fowler tightened his mask. The early impressions of the night will be simple and decisive: a start, a test, and the opportunity for a 21-year-old goaltender to add a chapter to a season that has already included his NHL debut, a first shutout and multiple recalls. The matchup with the sénateurs d’ottawa will be the next practical measurement of those developments — and the team will see if the move from Laval pays immediate dividends.
