ROCKET
Laval

4-0

CRUNCH
Syracuse

Lineup

Forward lines and defense pairings: 

[one_half]Shinkaruk – Vejdemo – Grenier
Belzile – McCarron – Alain
Jevpalovs – Evans – Froese
Audette – Martineau[/one_half]

[one_half_last]Alzner – Sklenicka
Ouellet – Fleury
Mete – Lernout
Lamarche[/one_half_last]

Goaltenders:
Marcoux
McNiven

Scratches:

Morgan Adams-Moisan, Simon Depres, Antoine Waked, Michael Pezzetta

Injury List:

Gustav Olofsson (shoulder), Charlie Lindgren (lower body), Hayden Verbeek (upper body)

Game Report

Game Report written by Chris G

The Laval Rocket hosted the Syracuse Crunch on Saturday afternoon in the second game of the weekend series between the division rivals. Friday night’s game at Place Bell was a fast and exciting game that ended up in a shootout win for Syracuse.

Cale Fleury returned to the lineup after missing the last 13 games due to injury. Phelix Martineau was also brought into the lineup for the first time since his latest recall from the ECHL. Joel Bouchard dressed seven defensemen for this game as David Sklenicka replaced Simon Despres in the lineup, who was “under the weather” and a bit “banged up” according to Bouchard. Etienne Marcoux started in goal for Laval. In his last start, he allowed three goals on six shots against Belleville.

Laval scored two goals late in the first period. At the 15:28 mark, Victor Mete with a precise cross-ice pass to Alex Belzile who completed the one-timer to score his fifth goal of the season. With 2:30 remaining in the period, Byron Froese won a battle behind Syracuse’s net, and went out front with no defender in sight to score his tenth goal.

Laval controlled the play in the second period, outshooting their opponents 11-2. The Rocket weren’t able to capitalize on their two power plays of the period. Their first opportunity was cut short as Alexandre Grenier was called for interference 30 seconds into the man advantage.

Laval played well defensively, as it took 12:35 into the period before Syracuse took a shot on Marcoux. The Rocket’s best scoring opportunity of the period came late in the period when Daniel Audette set up a wide open Sklenicka, but Connor Ingram made a blocker save into the crowd.

Nikita Jevpalovs extended his team’s lead by scoring on a rebound allowed on Sklenicka’s shot at the 10:29 mark of the third period. Syracuse pulled the goalie with over four minutes remaining but didn’t manage to get through Laval’s defence.

Brett Lernout scored his first goal of the season, an empty netter, while his team was shorthanded late in the third period. Marcoux made 12 saves for his first professional shut out. The last time Laval shut out an opponent was on January 20th, 2018.

The players were very satisfied with their team’s performance. “Today we showed our real colour, our identity”, said Belzile, speaking after the game. “It was a good team effort today”, added Froese. Listen in the player below for full post-game audio.

Laval will have five days off before hosting the Toronto Marlies Friday night at Place Bell.

▲     Victor Mete, Alex Belzile, Michael McCarron, David Sklenicka

▼

1. Michael McCarron  LAV
2. Alex Belzile  LAV
3. Victor Mete  LAV

Post-game interview with Cale Fleury:

Post-game interview with Alex Belzile:

Post-game interview with Byron Froese:

Post-game interview with Etienne Marcoux:

Interviews conducted by Chris G for AHL Report

RECAP | Crunch – Rocket: Syracuse Outlasts Laval in Shootout Win https://t.co/iHLEKBrrnL pic.twitter.com/nl68bhqWP1

— AHL Report (@TheAHLReport) December 15, 2018

From The Press Box | Rocket Review, Ouellet, Depres, Goaltending [S2/E12] https://t.co/HOuvUqVZ8v pic.twitter.com/Cm9EjrhLTT

— AHL Report (@TheAHLReport) December 11, 2018

Follow @theAHLReport on Twitter