Rocket Lineup

Rafael Harvey-Pinard – Jordan Weal – Jesse Ylonen

Brandon Baddock – Lukas Vejdemo – Alex Belzile

Joseph Blandisi – Ryan Poehling – Joel Teasdale

Michael Pezzetta – Jan Mysak – Jake Lucchini

Corey Schueneman – Otto Leskinen

Tobie Paquette-Bisson – Cale Fleury

Guillaume Brisebois – Josh Brook

Cayden Primeau – Michael McNiven

Nathanael Halbert, Hayden Verbeek, Jacob Leguerrier, Cameron Hillis, Terrance Amorosa, Tristan Pomerleau, Gustav Olofsson, Vasily Demchenko, Liam Hawel, Arsen Khisamutdinov, Yannick Veilleux (suspended)

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Game Report

Game Report written by Chris G

After enjoying a day off on Monday with a team outing at the Stampede Park in Calgary, the Rocket faced the Heat on Tuesday. Laval has won the first three in this four-game series, with the most recent 4-1 victory on Sunday. 

Michael Pezzetta and Jake Lucchini returned into the lineup, replacing Yannick Veilleux and Arsen Khisamutdinov. Veilleux serving the first of a four-game suspension as a consequence of a kneeing incident that occurred on Sunday.  Cayden Primeau got a second consecutive start in goal.

First Period

There was a slow pace to start the game, with a lot of whistles from offsides and icing. Laval was first to get momentum when, during the seventh minute, Ryan Poehling hit the crossbar with a hard wrist shot. Tobie Paquette-Bisson hit the post a few minutes later with a shot from the point. 

The Rocket picked up their pace as the period progressed. Midway through the period, they had outshot the Heat 11-2, with no dangerous chances allowed. 

Stockton slowly got into the duel, and decreased the gap in the shot category, until they became undisciplined. Otto Leskinen opened the scoring during a two-man advantage with a shot from the top of the face-off circle that beat Louis Domingue blocker side.

The Rocket went into the dressing room through 20 minutes with a 1-0 lead, outshooting the Heat 20-8.

Second Period

The animosity picked up in the second period between the teams. Joseph Blandisi didn’t like the hit that Zac Leslie made on Joel Teasdale and he went to the defence of his linemate. 

Later in the frame, Michael Pezzetta and Connor Mackey got into an old-fashioned hockey fight with both players connecting their punches. 

Jesse Ylonen increased the lead to two goals as he was open in the crease to put the puck in the back of the net. Jordan Weal’s assist on the goal was his seventh point in last five games. 

With 1:40 remaining in the period, Brandon Baddock’s point shot was redirected by Jake Lucchini and he watched the puck trickled in past Domingue. The goal was Lucchini’s first point of the season. 

Thirty seconds later, during Stockton’s power play, former Rocket captain Byron Froese reduced the lead to two goals with a backhander that beat Primeau up high on the blocker side. 

Third Period

Laval took the energy out of the building early in the third period as Leskinen set up Ylonen for a bullet from the top of the face-off circle for a power play goal. Leskinen’s assist was his sixth point in the last six games. 

The Rocket’s undisciplined play kept the Heat close in this contest, as Josh Brook, Ylonen, and Baddock each took turns to sit in the penalty box. 

Stockton capitalized on Baddock’s double-minor penalty to bring the score to 4-2. Justin Kirkland beat Primeau with a one-timer from the face-off circle with 4:10 remaining. 

Laval was able to shut down Stockton in the final minutes of the game as they were attacking with the extra attacker on the ice.

What’s Next?

Joel Bouchard’s team extended their win streak to six games, and are on top of the Canadian Division. 

The Rocket’s next stop is Winnipeg where they will face the Manitoba Moose in a four-game series starting on Thursday at 8:00pm Eastern. 

Be sure to scroll down to hear full audio from the AHL Report team and other members of the media in post-game interviews with Ylonen, Baddock, and Bouchard.

Plus / Minus

▲  Jesse Ylonen, Jordan Weal, Otto Leskinen, Cayden Primeau

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