If you ever wondered what elation, satisfaction and relief might look like when mixed together, it was perfectly depicted by the look on Al Montoya's face right around 10 p.m. Sunday night.
Check that -- it was the same look being worn by just about every player in Winnipeg Jets colours after a sloppy, all-over-the-place, but highly entertaining 5-4 overtime win over the New York Islanders that was Montoya's first with his new squad.
"That's awesome," said Montoya, who kicked out 21 of 25 shots. "I mean, I couldn't have written it any better. Coming from a building and an organization... well, it was great playing with the Islanders, but we were lucky to get 10,000 fans a night and that was empty.
"To come here in a stadium like this where they support hockey next to none, it's special. And to give them a win going away from here is great."
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And to do it with their No. 1 goaltender on the bench and Montoya in the net could be critical when this condensed schedule hits crunch time later in the spring. So let the man enjoy his moment.
"I waited until that last second in overtime when the goal went in to listen to the fans, and then you hear them erupt," Montoya said. "There's nothing sweeter.
"I thought I gave the team a chance, at the same time, I wanted a few saves. But to get that win... that's all it's about. It's about that getting that win and giving this team a chance. That's why I'm here."