ROCKET
Laval

2-4

AMERICANS
Rochester

Lineup

Forward lines and defense pairings: 

[one_half]Rychel – Cracknell – Terry
Boucher – McCarron – Waked
Petti – Eisenschmid – Gregoire
Ebbing – Blain[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Gelinas – Lernout
Bourque – Leblanc
Parisi – Corrin
Wilson[/one_half_last]

Goaltenders:
McNiven
Fucale

Scratches:

Yannick Veilleux (lower body), Matt Taormina (upper body), David Broll (day-to-day), Daniel Audette (lower body)

Injury List:

Jeremiah Addison (shoulder)

Game Report

The tail-end of a three-in-three is never an easy task for any AHL team, and a matinee makes it even tougher. But no excuses in hockey, and the Laval Rocket hit the ice in Rochester Sunday afternoon ready to take on the Americans to finish out the weekend’s road trip.

Legs looked tired during the first period, as skating and reactions times seemed to be markedly slower than usual.  Rochester’s first two shots on goals were solid breakaway attempts, which meant netminder Michael McNiven needed to be sharp early on.

Then both teams got sloppy with discipline as they combined for five total penalties in the period, including an unfortunately-timed slashing minor on Michael McCarron to negate an almost two minute five-on-three advantage for the Rocket.

However, things were looking up when Adam Cracknell scored his 22nd goal of the season during a power play to put Laval on the board first. Then Rochester came right back and scored on the man advantage themselves, followed by an even-strength goal just 34 seconds later.

Willie Corrin evened things at 2-2 with under a minute left in the period when he buried the puck off a big shot from the blue line for his first career AHL goal.

The second period was pretty evenly played and much more disciplined. McNiven made a few more spectacular stops as the Amerks kept the pressure on offensively, but the Rocket were getting good chances of their own as well.  Justin Danforth then potted a wrister on a breakaway to put Rochester back in the lead.

Physical endurance was tested in the third period when Laval found themselves pinned in their own end for a bulk of the frame, not even able to get a single shot on goal until well after the halfway point in the period.

However the team continued to grind and work hard trying to find the equalizer to force overtime for a second consecutive game. But an empty-netter with 16 seconds left in the period ensured that wouldn’t happen, and sent the Rocket back to Laval with a defeat.

The team now begins a three-game home stand starting on Wednesday when the Providence Bruins come to town, followed by a back-to-back series against the Belleville Senators.

▲     Michael McNiven, Niki Petti, Adam Cracknell, Chris Terry, Willie Corrin

▼     Tyson Wilson, Luc-Olivier Blain

1. Justin Danforth  ROC
2. Daniel Muzito-Bagenda  ROC
3. Willie Corrin  LAV

Post-game interview with Michael McNiven

Post-game interview with Niki Petti

Post-game interview with Willie Corrin

Interviews conducted by Amy Johnson for AHL Report

Willie Corrin asked for the puck following his first AHL goal in the first period. @RocketSports #GoRocket pic.twitter.com/4RMh7Drzvx

— AHL Report (@TheAHLReport) March 4, 2018

From the Press Box Podcast | Rocket Report, Roster Changes, Trade Deadline Thoughts [S1/E22] https://t.co/BXZwxUNXRv pic.twitter.com/ApD9l5jUyG

— AHL Report (@TheAHLReport) February 28, 2018

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