Ejected from Game 6: Jakub Dobes took it personally

Marc-Olivier Cook
Ejected from Game 6: Jakub Dobes took it personally
Credit: Vitor Munhoz/NHLI via Getty Images

Jakub Dobes has had little (if anything) to be criticized for since the start of the playoffs.

He's had some big games, he's helped the Canadiens win crucial matches by being rock-solid in net… and that makes him a candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy as of this writing.

But like everyone else, he's human and makes mistakes.

We saw it in Game 6 against the Sabres: Doby had a rough game statistically, allowing six goals before being pulled in the third period by Martin St. Louis. Jacob Fowler came in to finish the game.

And that had an effect on Dobes. He said he took it personally and that when it happened, he saw it as a wake-up call. 

The result?

The guy stopped 37 of 39 shots by the Sabres in Game 7, and the Canadiens secured their spot in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

It's amazing how mentally strong Dobes looks… which wasn't necessarily the case at certain points during the '25–'26 season.

We all remember seeing him cry after his first loss of the season, after the Habs faced the Devils in New Jersey… 

Now, he just looks like a guy on a mission who wants to fight to help his team. He has the mindset of a winner, of a guy who wouldn't let himself be intimidated even if the challenge ahead of him is huge…

Credit is due to his coach for his mental coaching, because clearly, the coach has done a great job with Dobes over the past few months. We're seeing a confident goaltender in net right now, and we can see that Dobes is able to bounce back after a bad performance.

Which, in reality, is really no small feat.

And that's worth noting. 


In brief

– Sad news.

– That's true.

– Okay.

– Well done.

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