MONTREAL — Shortly before taking the ice to one of the most rousing ovations in Bell Centre history, Carey Price was asked for his favourite memory in the building he called home for 15 years.
“Probably that night with Patrick (Roy’s jersey) retirement,” Price said. “That was really special, and I have a picture of that in my memorabilia room. It’s pretty special to be part of something like this.”
That was one special evening. Nov. 22, 2008, the night 33 was immortalized.
No one remembers that it ended with Price fittingly making 33 saves and not so fittingly losing 3-2 in the shootout to the Boston Bruins. Least of all him, apparently.
For Price could’ve chosen any of the 202 wins he registered in a Montreal Canadiens home uniform as his most cherished memory. He could’ve referenced one of the 22 wins he recorded when it mattered most in front of these fans—in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
But the night Price watched his hero have his number retired was the one that stayed with the goaltender more than any other because it reinforced how special it is to be a Canadien and reconnected him with his childhood dream.
It is the shared dream of every hockey-loving child, but certainly the ones with true NHL aspirations. They don’t close their eyes and picture playing in the three-quarter full buildings of tax-free states. They don’t think about the comfort anonymity provides in a sunbelt market.
No, the dream is playing out a Hall of Fame career in a mecca like Montreal, of leaving it all on the ice for fans who chant your name at full throat until they go hoarse.
The fantasy is coming back for one more dose of that, like Roy did almost exactly 18 years to the day Price did.
He watched that scene unfold and thought, “That could be me,” just as Jacob Fowler did on this night.
The 21-year-old then went out and made 26 saves against the Minnesota Wild and, not so fittingly, lost 2-1 in overtime.
It was a great game ruined by terrible officiating, with a lamentable phantom call on Cole Caufield for slashing, gifting the Wild a last-minute power play they capitalized on in the first minute of overtime, and it’ll resonate for a bit—or at least until the Canadiens play their next game Thursday.
But what happened before this game will stay with Fowler forever. And perhaps, if he’s so fortunate, it’ll come rushing back to him in vivid colour once he’s done playing, as he stands at centre ice with hand over heart, overwhelmed by emotions stirred up by an ovation like the one Price received.
Oh, the fans here already have strong feelings for the franchise goaltender in the making, and he knows it.
More importantly, Fowler appreciates it.
“It’s so special to play here every night,” he said before acknowledging just how much a night like the one he just experienced reinforces it.
“To be a part of this game was something that little me would’ve been ecstatic to have been here,” Fowler said. “To be on the ice seeing it happen, I have no words.”
Price, who’s always been a man of few words, spoke as eloquently as he could as he choked back tears.
The 39-year-old thanked the Canadiens, he thanked the fans, and then he turned towards the bench and said, “To the boys: This is your time now. Enjoy it.”
Message received.
Price had another for Fowler earlier in the day, and the protégé took it to heart.
“You believe it when he says it goes by fast,” Fowler said. “You don’t want to blink.”
It’s why the Canadiens were wide-eyed as the video homage to Price played.
Their ears had to be ringing as chants of “Carey! Carey! Carey!” blared at drum-shattering decibels for close to four minutes.
What should these players have taken from that?
“Everything,” said Phillip Danault. “So much love. You can be a hero here. Obviously, it’s hard to be a hero, but if you’re dialled in, the crowd can love you so much and the community of Montreal, the passion the fans have, it’s amazing. It gives me chills…It’s just so special, it’s hard to describe.”
It’s to be cherished by Price, and by the Canadiens, according to coach Martin St. Louis.
“It was a special moment, and rightfully so, he’s earned that,” the fellow Hall of Famer said. “And I think our players know how great of fans we have, but when we have something like that, it’s just a reminder of how special it is to be an athlete for the Canadiens. How supportive they are, how they respect hard work, professionalism… It was a great moment. It was hard not to be choked up during that time. Like I said, he deserves that, and I’m glad the players got to see that.”
It will stay with them much longer than the loss to the Wild will.
