The Bell Centre crowd made its feelings unmistakably clear on Sunday night. Chants of "Dobes! Dobes!" thundered through the arena as rookie goaltender Jakub Dobes delivered a commanding performance, leading the Montreal Canadiens to a decisive 6-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres in Game 3 of the NHL Eastern Conference Second Round.
Dobes turned aside 26 shots, showing remarkable poise after allowing a goal just 53 seconds into the game. The young netminder quickly settled in, frustrating Buffalo's attack with calm, composed play and several critical saves in the second period that helped Montreal seize control and take a 2-1 series lead.
Despite the growing buzz surrounding him, Dobes remained refreshingly grounded after the win. When asked about being hailed as a "cult hero" in hockey-mad Montreal, the rookie deflected the praise with characteristic honesty.
"I'm not a hero," Dobes said. "I'm just me. I'm just a goofy goalie who tries to stop pucks. And, trust me, I don't call myself a hero. I'll go home, eat, watch Game of Thrones, and go to bed. I don't think that's anything heroic."
The 24-year-old added that his focus remains squarely on team success. "When it's time to do my job, I will do anything to win, make this franchise happy, make these fans happy," Dobes said. "And hopefully, we'll win on Tuesday."
Dobes has emerged as one of the most compelling stories of Montreal's playoff run. A fifth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, the rookie entered the postseason riding a wave of confidence from a strong regular season, where he posted a 29-10-4 record with a 2.78 goals-against average during the 2025-26 campaign. Through his first 10 playoff starts, Dobes boasts a stellar 2.13 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage, energizing the team and forging a special bond with the Bell Centre faithful.
Offensively, the Canadiens received balanced contributions: Cole Caufield notched a goal and an assist, Alex Newhook scored twice, while Juraj Slafkovsky, Zachary Bolduc, and Kirby Dach each added goals in the dominant win.
Game 4 is set for Tuesday night in Montreal, where Dobes will once again hear the Bell Centre roar—and likely keep proving that heroes come in all forms, even goofy ones who just love stopping pucks.