Cole Caufield praises Jacob Fowler (after criticizing Jakub Dobes)

It was clear that Canadiens fans turned out in force. Many Quebecers made the trip to Manitoba over the weekend and made their presence known during the game.

This isn't anything new, and the Canadiens' fans have long had a great reputation. It didn't start yesterday—or on Wednesday, like the Senators' fans.

All this to say that the players noticed. Cole Caufield, an American, notably stated after the game that the Canadiens were “Canada's team.” I wonder what Dylan Larkin thinks—ah, never mind.

Caufield, in an interview with TNT after the game, also said that the Canadiens had the best fans in the league.

These comments came after the win, when the fans cheered at the end of the 60 minutes of play—even though it was an away game.

The victory was made possible in large part thanks to Jacob Fowler.

Once again, the young American goaltender was outstanding. He remained very calm in front of the net—which is impressive for a young netminder playing in an outdoor game.

He was the youngest goalie in NHL history to play an away game. That's no small feat.

It's also worth noting that after the game, Cole Caufield didn't hesitate to praise his goalie. His positioning and composure were singled out.

Caufield is impressed by the goalie.

These comments come just a few days after seeing the Canadiens' No. 13 take the blame for Jakub Dobes's unnecessary penalty in overtime against the Sharks.

That's worth noting, though.

But the goalie isn't the only standout from yesterday's game. Several players stepped up to help the Canadiens win the game.

For example?

1. Just like Friday's game in Chicago, the Canadiens won in regulation. It's worth noting, though, that this has happened only three times this season… including twice without the captain.

Without Nick Suzuki, the Canadiens have allowed two goals in two games and won both times. The guys are stepping up—especially on defense—and that's great, but it's not sustainable in the long run if the Habs want to stay in the playoff picture.

2. Even though the Canadiens didn't have a power play, the guys went 4-for-4 when it came time to defend while shorthanded. The team was even forced to play six-on-four late in the game.

But Jacob Fowler and the penalty-kill unit held their ground.

3. Defensively, the players held their ground. Mike Matheson (over 25 minutes) led the charge, and five of the six players logged more than 19 minutes during the game.

Arber Xhekaj, with 10 minutes on the ice, did his job as well.

And it's impossible to overlook the fact that both goals (in a 2-1 win) came from defensemen. Lane Hutson—on a superb pass from Noah Dobson—and Kaiden Guhle found the back of the net.

That deserves an F-bomb.

4. Aside from Cole Caufield (two assists) and Juraj Slafkovsky (one assist), no Habs forward recorded a point. This shows that the defense did its job, since the Habs won the game.

However, they'll need to do better next time.

Overtime

Today is a travel day. The players will have the day off from practice, and the media won't be meeting with the coach or the team's players.

Tomorrow night at 8 p.m., there will be a game in St. Louis. Who will be in net?

Nick Suzuki won't be traveling with the team, and we don't expect to see Samuel Montembeault join his teammates in Missouri and Texas either.

Ivan Demidov, meanwhile, was not seen in Winnipeg yesterday.