Rocket Lineup

Danick Martel – Brandon Gignac – Kevin Roy

Gabriel Bourque – Jean-Sebastien Dea – Peter Abbandonato

Brandon Baddock – Jean-Christophe Beaudin – Alexandre Fortin

Justin Ducharme – Cam Hillis – Devante Smith-Pelly

Terrance Amorosa – Tory Dello

Louie Belpedio – Charles-David Beaudoin

Tobie Paquette-Bisson – Carl Neill

Kevin Poulin – Louis-Philip Guindon

Gianni Fairbrother, Cedric Desruisseaux, Ryan Valentini, Shawn St. Amant, Olivier Galipeau

Joel Teasdale (surgery), Josh Brook (surgery), Xavier Ouellet (lower-body injury)

Game Report

Game Report written by Amy Johnson

The Laval Rocket were back on the road Friday night, visiting the Springfield Thunderbirds after downing the Syracuse Crunch at Place Bell on Wednesday night.

Jean-Francois Houle received two more reinforcements from Montreal since the last game: Louie Belpedio and Brandon Baddock. However the coach also lost goaltender Michael McNiven in the process, who was recalled to the NHL taxi squad. That leaves Kevin Poulin and Louis-Philip Guindon as the current tandem in Laval.

First Period

The opening 20 minutes didn’t bode well for the Laval visitors. First, although the shot totals remained pretty close throughout the period, Springfield’s chances were much more dangerous and they applied a ton of pressure in the Rocket’s end.

Then the Rocket took two needless penalties: an interference call against Belpedio which led to a goal against on the power play, followed by a too-many-men penalty.

Poulin didn’t look especially strong in the crease. He first allowing what looked to be a very stoppable goal through the five hole by Keean Washkurak on an even-strength play.

Then Poulin scrambled to fight off a sharp-angled shot by Mackenzie MacEachern during Springfield’s first power play, but the he couldn’t control the puck, was out of position, and knocked his own net off its moorings as the puck went in.

Second Period

Things were looking up early in the middle frame when Justin Ducharme got the Rocket on the board with his first AHL goal, a shot through traffic that found the back of the net. It also marked the first point by Devante Smity-Pelly, who had the primary assist.

But just over a minute later, the Thunderbirds restored their two-goal lead when Sam Anas scored his ninth goal of the season off a quick wrister in the slot.

Poulin did come up with a spectacular save later in the period when MacEachern seemed to have a wide-open net up top but the Laval goaltender managed to get in the way and deny the Springfield forward a second goal.

Third Period

Laval pulled within a goal once again when, about five minutes into the period, Alexandre Fortin stickhandled the puck through the slot on a breakaway and beat Colten Ellis.

With just 3:48 left in the game, the Rocket finally found an equalizer when Tobie Paquette-Bisson banged in a loose puck in the crease. That goal was enough to force overtime in the game.

It took just 48 seconds in overtime for Jean-Sebastien Dea to rifle the puck past Ellis to complete the comeback win for his team.

What’s Next?

The Rocket now finish out this short road trip with a visit on Saturday night to Hartford, Connecticut where they’ll take on the Wolf Pack.

Be sure to scroll down to hear full audio of post-game interviews with Dea, Poulin, and Houle conducted by the AHL Report team and other members of the media.

Plus / Minus

▲ Tobie Paquette-Bisson, Justin Ducharme, Terrance Amorosa

▼ Louie Belpedio, Kevin Poulin