"Two-one!" he exclaimed.
Of course, Cousins is referring to Carbonneau's jersey number - 21 - which the 26-year-old has sported since joining the Canadiens as a free agent in the summer.
The Habs' current No. 21 wasn't yet born when Carbonneau captained the Canadiens to their 24th Stanley Cup - although with a July 20 birthday, it's likely Carbo was still busy celebrating when Cousins came into this world.
Still, the Belleville, ON native was more than familiar with the former captain's achievements, especially his efforts in holding Wayne Gretzky to a one-goal, three-point output in the four remaining games of the Cup Final after Carbonneau requested to shadow the Great One.
"He didn't shut [Gretzky] down, but he contained him," described Cousins of Carbonneau. "I don't know if you can shut down Gretzky. [Carbonneau] is the type of player you win with."
As a player with a defensive role in the League, there's no doubt that Cousins is a big admirer of Carbonneau's vast body of work over his 1,318-game, 19-year career.
"There are so many players out there who model their game after him. I admire the way he played. He played the game the right way, he played the game hard," praised Cousins of Carbonneau, who had 663 career points (260G, 403A) with the Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, and Dallas Stars. "He was a 200-foot player. Coaches probably loved to have him on their team. He's a guy I look up to, for sure."
Getting to take part in the festivities surrounding Carbonneau's induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame might've played a part in his decision to wear the Sept-Iles native's jersey during warmups on December 3.
"It was cool to see him the other night, going to the Hall of Fame. He played here for [13] years. He was a great player. He won three Selke Trophies," added Cousins. "He's a legend in Montreal Canadiens history."
