Canadiens’ Dobes shines in win over Canes, must continue to fight for starter’s role

MONTREAL — With less than five minutes to play, with the Montreal Canadiens desperately clinging to a 4-2 lead Ivan Demidov secured moments earlier, Jakub Dobes stared down Logan Stankoven and robbed him of a breakaway goal.

The 24-year-old made six more saves before Jake Evans scored the insurance marker into an empty net, and one more for good measure on Eric Robinson to keep the Carolina Hurricanes to just two goals on 43 shots and cement himself in the chair he’s been fighting for all season.

This was Dobes’ 23rd win in 34 starts, and it affirmed his status as the Canadiens’ starting goaltender — even if no one will anoint him just yet.

It’s probably best no one does, for the man who’s been labelled “competitive” above all other traits seems to be at his best when he’s fighting for something.

“I think it’s part of it,” said Canadiens coach Martin St. Louis. “I feel that for Dobes, he’s just been trying to get that chair, steal a chair, get that chair, and I think that’s an every-day thing. Once you stop worrying about that, I think that’s when somebody steals your chair.”

Samuel Montembeault knows.

He fought his whole career just to have a chair, and the second he reclined in the one he earned, it was kicked out from under him.

We’re talking about the goaltender who ranked fifth in the NHL in goals saved above expected last season, who came to the Canadiens as a third-string waiver claim and quickly went from proving he belonged in the league to proving he belonged in the No. 1 position over veteran Jake Allen.

Montembeault’s rise hit its peak on the Canadiens’ way to an unlikely playoff berth last season, which he played a huge role in earning by performing exceptionally well down the stretch. He started 20 of the final 22 games, posting the fourth-best save percentage in the league to win 13 of them while helping the Canadiens earn points in four others. And a torn groin in the middle of the first-round series with the Washington Capitals did anything but rip away the confidence the team had in him coming into this season.

It started poorly and got worse. And despite Dobes’ best effort to push the off-balance Montembeault out of position, benefit of the doubt was rightfully extended to the veteran until it no longer could be.

It teetered when 21-year-old Jacob Fowler entered the mix for 10 games from Dec. 15-Jan. 11, and it broke awhile after Fowler returned to the American Hockey League.

In between, Dobes emerged with a crater on his shoulder — never mind a chip — and fought even harder for what he thought belonged to him.

And well, the results have been more than convincing, with the Ostrava, Czechia native going 7-2-1 prior to Fowler’s return to Montreal, and 2-1-0 since. He’s also posted a .907 save percentage over that period and looked better and better from game to game.

And yes, how Dobes has looked matters.

Take it from Cole Caufield, who scored his 44th goal of the season in Tuesday’s win. He knows what players want to see from their goaltender.

“Confidence, and some swagger,” Caufield said. “No matter if you get scored on or have a shutout, it’s the same mentality. A win is a win, and you’ve just got to save more than the other guy. I think Dobes has that … Just every night, he gives us a chance.”

That wasn’t the case a bit earlier this season, when Dobes looked anything but sure of himself and had to be bailed out by the Canadiens.

But on this night, Dobes allowed two goals he had no chance on and then made 33 straight saves with confidence oozing.

Several of them came while Carolina’s goaltender was on the bench and an extra attacker was on the ice for the final 4:14, on shots that could’ve — and probably — should’ve beaten him.

“At the end of the day, your best player in those situations has got to be your goalie,” said St. Louis, “and he was that tonight.”

A career-high 41 saves made that an undeniable statement.

That’s all we got from Dobes, for the Canadiens decided to not make the goaltender available to speak with reporters.

He’s been as unpredictable in some of his media scrums as he has been in his crease at times this season, which has apparently caused some consternation in the organization.

All signs that Dobes is still young, and green — just 54 games (regular season and post-season combined) into his NHL career.

The evidence is at least mounting, though, that he’s maturing on the ice.

“I think he’s progressed tremendously,” said St. Louis, “and he’s learning how to be a pro in this league, and how competitive it is, and he’s doing well.”

Well enough to be the starter for the Canadiens, even if it’s best to keep him fighting for the job.