Rocket Lineup

Rafael Harvey-Pinard – Jean-Sebastien Dea – Danick Martel

Lukas Vejdemo – Brandon Gignac – Peter Abbandonato

Kevin Roy – Nate Schnarr – Joel Teasdale

Lucas Condotta – Jean-Christophe Beaudin – Devante Smith-Pelly

Xavier Ouellet – Sami Niku

Tobie Paquette-Bisson – Louie Belpedio

Tory Dello – Nicolas Mattinen

Kevin Poulin – Tristan Berube

Emil Heineman, Olivier Galipeau, Gabe Mallot-Hill, Terrance Amorosa, Alex Belzile

Gianni Fairbrother (undisclosed), Cameron Hillis, Gabriel Bourque (DTD), Cedric Paquette (DTD)

Game Report

Game Report written by Amy Johnson

After closing out last week with a lively win over the Utica Comets, the Laval Rocket kicked off a five-game road trip Monday night with a visit to the Belleville Senators. Looking to further solidify their second-place standing in the North Division, the Rocket would have to dig deep facing a team they’ve struggled to beat outside of Place Bell.

In addition, Jean-Francois Houle found himself down a number of players: Cayden Primeau was recalled to Montreal over the weekend after Jake Allen left Saturday’s game early with injury, while Cedric Paquette and Gabriel Bourque couldn’t suit up due to minor injuries. Alex Belzile and Terrance Amorosa were also unavailable for tonight’s game, leaving Houle juggling his roster to try to put a winning product on the ice.

First Period

The Rocket had an opportunity very early in the game when, just about 90 seconds after the opening faceoff, Jonathan Aspirot took a holding penalty and put Laval on the man advantage. A turnover in the neutral zone gave Cole Reinhardt a prime shorthanded breakaway chance, but Kevin Poulin denied him. Laval was unable to score on the power play.

Minutes after getting back to even-strength hockey, Belleville lit the lamp. Logan Shaw took the puck down low and around the back of the net and dished it off to Reinhardt, who wasted no time shoveling it past Poulin.

The remainder of the period was relatively uneventful until the final three minutes when, after Colby Williams laid an enormous open-ice hit on Jean-Sebastien Dea, Xavier Ouellet immediately stepped up in his teammate’s defense. Ouellet and Williams got five-for-fighting, but the Laval captain also received an extra two minutes for instigating and a 10-minute misconduct for instigating.

Second Period

Aspirot began the middle frame the same way as the first period: with a holding penalty. Just seven seconds into the power play, Rafael Harvey-Pinard and Joel Teasdale set up Danick Martel in the low slot to tie the game at 1-1.

Nicolas Mattinen added to Laval’s tally when he ripped a wrister from the top of the circle to beat Filip Gustavsson cleanly. It was Mattinen’s first professional goal.

Martel added another goal to the scoresheet in the final two minutes of the game when he ripped a one-timer from a sharp angle to beat Gustavsson and give the Rocket a 3-1 lead.

Third Period

Laval continued to dominate play in the third period, even after taking two more penalties to put them shorthanded. Poulin and the Rocket defense were able to stop Belleville from mounting a comeback.

In fact, Harvey-Pinard scored shorthanded after Lukas Vejdemo helped get the puck down ice on a Senators power play, to give Laval a 4-1 lead. A nifty empty-net goal by Kevin Roy was the final tally in this game.

What’s Next?

Plus / Minus

▲ Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Danick Martel, Nicolas Mattinen, Tory Dello, Joel Teasdale

▼ Devante Smith-Pelly, Louie Belpedio