It’s a long way — in kilometres and culture — from Ostrava in the Czech Republic to Topeka in Kansas. But that’s the journey goalie Jakub Dobes made five years ago to follow his dream of one day playing in the NHL. That dream came true Saturday afternoon in Florida and it’s a day the 23-year-old will never, ever forget.

Canadiens fans might never forget it, either. A day after getting officially called up from the AHL’s Laval Rocket, Dobes stopped all 34 shots he faced Saturday as the Canadiens beat the defending Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers 4-0. Kirby Dach scored twice for the Canadiens with Jake Evans and Cole Caufield adding singles. The Panthers outshot the Canadiens 34-25. Dobes spoke some English when he arrived in Kansas to play for the Topeka Pilots of the NAHL because his mother is an English teacher, which made it less of a culture shock for him. His mother, who had been visiting him in Laval for Christmas, was in attendance Saturday at the Amerant Bank Arena to watch her son get a shutout in his first NHL game, making the day even more special for Dobes. “I cannot wait to see her in a couple of minutes,” Dobes told Pierre Houde and Bruno Gervais during a post-game interview on RDS. “I just want to give her a hug. I think she must be excited.”

In 10 games with the Pilots in 2019-20, Dobes posted a 7-3-0 record with a 1.59 goals-against average and a .946 save percentage before finishing the season with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers, where in 21 games he had a 9-6-3 record with a 3.09 GAA and an .891 save percentage The Canadiens liked what they saw and selected Dobes in the fifth round (136th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft.

The 6-foot-5, 215-pound Dobes then spent one more season with the Lancers and two at Ohio State University before turning pro and joining the Rocket. Dobes had a 24-18-6 record last season in Laval with a 2.93 GAA and a .906 save percentage and was 9-3-1 this season with a 2.44 GAA and a .910 save percentage before getting called up by the Canadiens. “In Laval, my goalie coach Marco (Marciano) always told me that, ‘You’re not here to play in this league. You’re here to be prepared for the NHL,’” Dobes told Houde and Gervais. “So I feel like we’ve been working a lot to be ready for this next level and it was working today. Tomorrow is a next day and back to work.”

The Canadiens had lost confidence in Cayden Primeau as Montembeault’s backup and placed him on waivers Saturday after he had a 2-3-1 record with a 4.70 GAA and an .836 save percentage this season. He cleared waivers on Sunday and was assigned to the Rocket. Dobes made the decision by Canadiens GM Kent Hughes to put Primeau on waivers look like a smart one — even if it took a long time to make it.

“I feel like as a team we played unbelievable,” Dobes told Houde and Gervais after the game. “The guys were battling the full 60 minutes. As a team effort I feel like it made me see the game really easy. I saw a lot of pucks, which helped and gave me confidence. Thanks to the guys, I feel like they gave me confidence and when we scored a couple of goals (in the second period after a scoreless first period) I felt like they’re going to win. Just a huge positive mental aspect that was just beneficial. Everything that I felt like we did today was fuelling me to keep going and get a win.” Dach played a big role in the win, doubling his goal total for the season with his two goals. Alex Newhook assisted on both of those goals for his first two assists of the season. Evans scored for the fourth straight game — this one short-handed — giving him nine goals on the season. Caufield’s goal was his first in eight games, giving him a team-leading 18.

But Dobes was the first star in this game.

“I always knew if I wanted to be a professional hockey player, I needed to go somewhere where the sport’s the biggest,” Dobes told The Gazette’s Herb Zurkowsky last year about his decision to leave the Czech Republic and go to Topeka. “Where’s the best hockey? We (his family and adviser) made a decision. I was like a regular kid, going to high school, playing hockey and not thinking too much about it, just getting better and better. “I kind of liked Topeka,” Dobes added. “I know it’s nothing in comparison to Montreal, but it was great. I had a blast, a good time. And I was able to accomplish getting a contract with Montreal.” Now he has his first NHL win — and a shutout.