The Laval Rocket goaltender admitted, with a hearty laugh, he eventually stopped counting.
“Never give up,” the 32-year-old Montreal native said Thursday after practice at Place Bell. “It was just keep working, keep having fun and play the game I love. A good result came out of it.”
Poulin’s story is one of redemption, including this season. After attending training camp with the Canadiens, he was assigned to Trois-Rivières of the East Coast Hockey League. He was recalled by the Rocket three times, the last occurring just after Christmas. And he hasn’t looked back.
Heading into Friday night’s home game against the Toronto Marlies (7 p.m., RDS2, TSN 690 Radio) — one Poulin’s scheduled to start — the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder has been one of the team’s most consistent players. In 27 games, he has a 17-7-2 record, 2.22 goals-against average and a save percentage of .925. He has recorded two shutouts.