As a goalie for the Montreal Canadiens, Sam Montembeault is a pro at staying calm under pressure. But when it comes to the unpredictability of adult life – from being a safe driver to learning how to do taxes – we wanted to find out Sam’s techniques for coming up with a major save. (We know that the surprises of adulting, like fender benders and budgeting, can be a lot to handle, but you don’t need to be a professional hockey player to have a winning play – Sonnet keeps it simple and straightforward when you need home and auto insurance!)

Here’s what Sam had to say in our Q&A:

How old were you when you first got your drivers license?

I was 18.

Tell us about your first car.

It was a 2006 black Honda Civic with no wing. I don’t remember the exact model, but I took one that had nicer mags.

Who among your teammates is the best driver?

I think I’m a good driver, so I’d say the best driver on the team is me. One of our teammates has had a few fender benders, but I can’t talk more about that!

What is the best driving advice you’ve received?

I think it’s the one piece of advice everyone gives you as a driver: When you’re tired, take the time to stop. Don’t try to drive through the fatigue.

What adulting advice would you have liked to receive in school?

For me, I would have wanted to learn more about real-life stuff like how to do your taxes, or what happens after you buy a house. That would have been a lot more valuable than learning about the Pythagorean theorem.

What surprised you the most when you moved out on your own for the first time?

All the space. At my parent’s house, there were four of us and we loved to tease each other, so there was always noise in the house. But once I was in my own place, I found it was pretty quiet.

Can you tell us about your routine when you get home after a game?

I’ll eat something when I get home and then watch TV, especially sports highlights. I often have a hard time sleeping after a game I played in, so the sports highlights help me fall asleep a little better.

How do you find time to cool down after an intense training session or a tough game?

Just going home afterwards helps. We’re lucky we don’t get home too late – on training days, we go home at around 2 PM. That gives me time to eat lunch and go on a walk with the dogs. The big one, Gucci, doesn’t particularly like winter and can’t walk too long in the summer, so fall is his favourite season.