Rocket Lineup

Matthew Peca – Ryan Poehling – Dale Weise

Charles Hudon – Jake Evans – Alex Belzile

Nikita Jevpalovs – Phile Varone – Riley Barber

Alexandre Alain – Lukas Vejdemo – Joe Cox

Xavier Ouellet – Josh Brook

Karl Alzner – Otto Leskinen

David Sklenicka – Maxim Lamarche

Charlie Lindgren – Cayden Primeau

Michael Pezzetta, William Pelletier, Kevin Lynch, Ryan Culkin

Game Report

Game Report written by Chris G

The Rocket opened the 2019-20 season on Friday night against the Monsters. For the occasion, 9,075 fans made their way to Place Bell in Laval to cheer their team. Laval lost their two pre-season games against Belleville.

Ryan Poehling made his debut as a Rocket playing on the top line with Matthew Peca to his left and Dale Weise to his right. Karl Alzner also put on the Rocket jersey for the first time this season, after not playing in the two pre-season games in order to get some extra rest following his groin injury. Alzner started the game on the second pairing with Otto Leskinen. Charlie Lindgren was given the responsibility in goal for Laval. 

The Rocket got the start they wanted, as it took only 23 seconds for them to get on the board.  Alex Belzile opened the scoring by putting the puck in between the pads of Matiss Kivlenieks. At the 9:28 mark of the period, Calvin Thurkauf tied the game with a wrist shot past Lindgren. Thurkauf was open to the left of Lindgren after being setup by Andrew Peeke’s pass that went through the crease. 

The Rocket had a few dangerous scoring chances that they weren’t able to finish. On a three-on-one rush, Charles Hudon’s pass was intercepted by the defender that led to Alzner taking a shot on a bouncing puck from the crease. During a penalty kill, Jake Evans snuck behind the Monsters’ defence and was stopped on a breakaway and shot his own rebound on the side of the net. 

There was no scoring in the second period. The Monsters had several scoring chances in the period, but Lindgren looked sharp in goal, making several quality saves during the frame.

Nikita Jevpalovs had Laval’s only scoring chance in the second as he took a shot from the slot that was stopped by Kivlenieks. 

Hudon gave Laval the lead in the third period with a one timer during a power play. Hudon completed a tic-ta- toe play that was started by Xavier Ouellet and Belzile. Cleveland tied the score about two minutes later as Adam Clendening capitalized on a rebound. Clendening was left open in front of the net on an odd man rush on a play where Josh Brook was caught in the offensive zone. 

With 1:40 remaining in the third period, Trey Fix-Wolansky scored the game-winning goal as he went around Alzner and put the puck in the top corner on a backhand.

These two teams will face each other again on Saturday at 3pm ET. Listen to the player below for full audio of our post-game interviews.

Plus / Minus

▲  Charlie Lindgren, Alex Belzile, Charles Hudon

▼  Josh Brook, Karl Alzner, Phil Varone, Otto Leskinen