ROCKET
Laval

2-3

COMETS
Utica

Lineup

Forward lines and defense pairings: 

[one_half]Carr – Holland – Terry
Audette – McCarron – Gregoire
Veilleux – Petti – Baun
Boucher – Ebbing – Waked[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Schlemko – Taormina
Parisi – Lernout
Gelinas – Leblanc[/one_half_last]

Goaltenders:
Lindgren
Fucale

Scratches:

David Broll, Simon Bourque, Michael McNiven

Injury List:

Noah Juulsen (foot), Jeremiah Addison (shoulder), Markus Eisenschmid (lower body)

Game Report

If the Laval Rocket believed that they played well enough on Friday night to deserve a win, then their performance on Saturday gave them even more to believe in – albeit again without a win.

This game started off exactly the same as the previous one: the Rocket were vastly outshooting the Comets, both teams were playing tight hockey especially through the neutral zone, and neither goaltender was giving away much. (Charlie Lindgren was back in net for Laval after being sent down on Friday from Montreal.)

Utica struck first, early in the first period, but otherwise the first 40 minutes of play were relatively unremarkable. The first penalty of the game didn’t come until the second period. The Laval power play couldn’t muster a goal despite numerous opportunities. And at the end of two periods, the Rocket led 26-10 in shots on goal.

The third period, however, went much differently in this game. Michael McCarron found his way into the slot to wrist a loose puck right past Thatcher Demko to even the score at 1-1. Just seven seconds later, with the McCarron line still on the ice, he picked up the puck as it bounced off the end boards awkwardly, caught Demko out of his net and slid his way past the crease and shoveling the puck across the goal line.

Now leading the game, Laval found new energy and played a strong final frame. But everything came unraveled with Utica found the back of the net with 43 seconds left in regulation.

The Rocket had some great chances in the overtime period, but couldn’t get the puck past Demko again. In the shootout, Chris Terry scored on his attempt, but Peter Holland and Daniel Audette were stopped short of the goal line, giving Utica both victories this weekend.

The Rocket now go back out on the road with games in Belleville, Syracuse and Lehigh Valley coming up this week, beginning on Wednesday.

▲     Michael McCarron, Charlie Lindgren, Jeremy Gregoire, Daniel Carr, Brett Lernout

▼

1. Michael McCarron  LAV
2. Jeremy Gregoire  LAV
3. Thatcher Demko  MB

Post-game interview with Michael McCarron

Post-game interview with Charlie Lindgren

Post-game interview with Niki Petti

Post-game interview with Chris Terry

Interviews conducted by Amy Johnson for AHL Report

Let's do this Laval! @TheAHLReport @RocketSports pic.twitter.com/v9H9EkNOMb

— Amy (@FlyersRule) November 25, 2017

Juulsen and Eisenschmid both on the ice this morning. @TheAHLReport @RocketSports pic.twitter.com/CojWXFROxX

— Amy (@FlyersRule) November 25, 2017

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