The Montreal Canadiens beat the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 at Princess Auto Stadium in Winnipeg on Sunday, October 25, 2026, in the 2026 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic. Jacob Fowler made 33 saves for Montreal, and defencemen Lane Hutson and Kaiden Guhle scored second period goals to give the Canadiens a lead they defended through a late Jets push.
The win improved Montreal to 6-3-2 and gave the Canadiens points in four straight games, at 3-0-1 in that run. Winnipeg fell to 4-4-3 and have now lost five straight, at 0-3-2, despite outshooting Montreal and cutting the lead to one goal with less than five minutes left in the third period.
Two Defencemen Build The Lead
After a scoreless first period, the game opened up in the second. Hutson made it 1-0 at 7:19 of the second period, when Noah Dobson found him at the back door with a cross slot pass and he put the puck behind Stuart Skinner. Cole Caufield also collected an assist on the play, the first of two assists on the night for the Canadiens forward.
Guhle pushed the lead to 2-0 at 11:04 of the second period, less than four minutes later. He scored with a catch and release wrist shot from the blue line through traffic, with Caufield involved again in the build up. Two goals from defencemen in the same period is a rare way to win an outdoor game, and it gave Montreal a cushion built from the back end on a night when clear chances were hard to create in the outdoor conditions.
Winnipeg best early chance to change the game had come in the first period, when Alex Newhook was turned away by Skinner on a shorthanded breakaway at 17:15. Instead, the Jets spent the rest of the night chasing a Montreal team that had its goaltender in top form behind a two goal lead.
Fowler Night In Goal
Fowler was the story of the night. At 21 years and 355 days, he became the youngest goalie to play in and win an NHL outdoor game, earning first star honours with 33 saves on 34 shots. The win was his fifth straight start won, improving his record to 5-1-0 this season with a 1.79 goals against average and a .924 save percentage.
The path to this stage makes the performance stand out even more. Fowler was reassigned to the AHL Laval Rocket at the end of training camp in late September and recalled on October 7, and he admitted the outdoor game was one he feared he might miss. Instead he owned it.
This game was different than a lot of other games I played where a lot of times, you’re looking at the clock kind of waiting for it to run out. Obviously you want to get the win, but I think tonight was one of those games where you never want the game to end.
Canadiens defenceman Noah Dobson summed up what Fowler form does for the team in front of him, saying the goalie is dialled in and makes difficult post to post saves look easy, and that he was Montreal best player on the night. Head coach Martin St. Louis also praised the performance, while noting he would still like his team to defend less than it had to late in the game.
The Late Jets Push Falls Short
Winnipeg finally broke through at 15:24 of the third period. Isak Rosen scored his first goal of the season, set up by Gabriel Vilardi for a one timer from below the right face off dot, to cut the Montreal lead to 2-1 and bring the home crowd at Princess Auto Stadium back into the game.
The Jets got one last opening with 1:32 left, when a Montreal penalty gave them a power play and they pulled Skinner to press with an extra attacker. Montreal penalty kill held, Fowler closed the door, and the Canadiens left the outdoor ice with both points. Skinner finished with 19 saves for Winnipeg.
The game was the NHL 46th outdoor game and the 10th played in Canada, and it was Winnipeg first game since trading franchise goaltender Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils on Friday. Dawson Mercer, who arrived in that trade, made his Jets debut with two shots in his first outing for the club.
What The Result Means For Both Teams
Montreal leave Winnipeg with momentum and a clear goaltending story. A four game point streak, a young goalie winning five straight starts, and goals from two young defencemen on a national stage all point the same way for a Canadiens team building around its next core. The Canadiens continue on the road at St. Louis on Tuesday night.
Winnipeg questions are different. Five straight losses, one goal from 34 shots at home, and a new era beginning without Hellebuyck in goal leave the Jets needing a response quickly. They host Florida on Tuesday night, and a home win there would change the conversation. Until then, the Heritage Classic belongs to Fowler and Montreal, 2-1 winners outdoors in Winnipeg on Sunday, October 25.
