BROSSARD, Quebec -- Some cool elements from the past are swirling around rookie goalie Charlie Lindgren as he enjoys a spectacular present with the Montreal Canadiens.
Lindgren, a 23-year-old native of Lakeville, Minn., won each of his first five starts with Montreal since making his NHL debut at the end of the 2015-16 season. He joined Ken Dryden and Wayne Thomas as the only Canadiens goalies to go 5-0-0 through their first five games.
"It's obviously cool to have my name associated with those guys," Lindgren said after practice Wednesday. "It's been a great start the first five games, but I definitely want to keep it rolling."
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Dryden in particular stands out for Lindgren, whose father Bob was a goalie for the Michigan Wolverines in 1985-86. The mask Lindgren wore when he won his first NHL start, 4-2 at the Carolina Hurricanes on April 7, 2016, was designed by his father and featured images of Dryden on both sides.
"It's pretty crazy," Lindgren said. "Obviously Ken Dryden was one of the best that ever played. My dad's a huge fan. That was his favorite goalie. My dad was a goalie and he really looked up to Ken Dryden. And I know that's really special to him, too."
Lindgren has an opportunity to tie Dryden's 6-0-0 break from the gate in 1970-71 when he makes his third straight start for Montreal against the Minnesota Wild at Bell Centre Thursday night. Thomas started 7-0-0 as a rookie in 1972-73.
While his father idolized Dryden and the Canadiens, the Wild was Lindgren's favorite NHL team.
"I had season tickets to them growing up," said Lindgren, who played three seasons with St. Cloud State. "They were the team that I always watched, you know, back with Marian Gaborik, Manny Fernandez, Dwayne Roloson, all those guys. It was my hometown team."
Lindgren was recalled from the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League on Friday after Carey Price sustained a lower-body injury. After dressing as Al Montoya's backup for Montreal's 5-4 overtime win in Winnipeg on Saturday, Lindgren made his season debut the following night and made 38 saves for his first NHL shutout in a 2-0 win at Chicago.
He wore the St. John's IceCaps mask he used last season in that game, and again Tuesday in a 3-2 win against Vegas in his first start in Montreal.
Lindgren intended to debut a Rocket-themed mask this season after Montreal relocated its AHL affiliate from Newfoundland to Laval, but it was sent to the wrong painter. So even though St. John's no longer has a minor league hockey team, the IceCaps have been able to live on a little longer through their former goalie's stellar play this season.
"Newfoundland definitely holds a special place in my heart," Lindgren said. "I mean, it was a great year last year. I really loved the city of St. John's and the people there, so I definitely have a lot of respect for them."
But the move to Laval, a suburban city immediately north of Montreal, has brought the minor league team closer to Canadiens brass, which Lindgren sees as a huge positive as he continues his professional development.
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"I think so, yeah," Lindgren said. "I mean stats to me don't mean too much. It's all about how you're playing and I felt really good at the start of the year. I thought training camp was great. I had my first 10 games in Laval. Obviously there were a couple of high-scoring games but I was working hard, competing hard, and really started feeling good."
Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty singled out Lindgren's competitive nature in practice and games as something that fuels his teammates.
"Well I think competition brings out the best in people," Lindgren said. "So I think when I'm competing, when they're competing, it makes everyone better for sure. That's what I pride myself on, yeah. That's the one thing I can always guarantee is I'll never give up on a puck. And I think that's definitely something that's an attribute that's taken me as far as it has.”