Rocket Lineup

Nikita Jevpalovs – Ryan Poehling – Alex Belzile

Charles Hudon – Michael McCarron – Dale Weise

Matthew Peca – Jake Evans – Antoine Waked

Alexandre Alain – Lukas Vejdemo – Joe Cox

Gustav Olofsson – Xavier Ouellet

Otto Leskinen – Noah Juulsen

David Sklenicka – Josh Brook

Charlie Lindgren – Cayden Primeau

Maxim Lamarche, Kevin Lynch, Michael Pezzetta, David Sklenicka

William Pelletier (undisclosed), Riley Barber (upper body), Phil Varone (undisclosed)

Game Report

Game Report written by Chris G

The Rocket concluded their three game home stand on Saturday against the Marlies. It was the first of eight games between the two teams this season. Last season, Toronto won seven of the 10 games against Laval. 

Laval was coming off a 2-1 shootout win in a physical game against Hartford on Friday. Toronto remained undefeated in regulation time this season by scoring four unanswered goals in the third period on Friday for a come from behind victory against Belleville. 

Charlie Lindgren got the start in goal, coming off a 21-save win against Hartford in his last start. No other changes made to the lineup by Joel Bouchard. 

The first period was mostly spent in Toronto’s zone and as we have seen since the start of the season, Laval wasn’t able to capitalize. The Rocket took the first seven shots of the game and ended up outshooting their opponents 14-6. Defensively, the team had a strong forecheck limiting the chances against them. 

While Alexandre Alain was in the penalty box serving an interference penalty, the Marlies opened the scoring on their first shot of the game. Egor Korshkov found his way behind Xavier Ouellet and Karl Alzner and scored glove side on Lindgren after receiving a pass from Joseph Bracco. 

Laval continued getting scoring chances in the second period, however Toronto increased their lead to two goals as Rasmus Sandin completed a one-timer with a hard shot from the right faceoff circle that beat Lindgren on the blocker side. 

The home team came back into the game by scoring two goals in 1:48 of play. At the 14:33 mark, Joe Cox deflected Noah Juulsen’s point shot past Joseph Woll. The assist was Juulsen’s first point of the season. 

Dale Weise tied the game on a play that he carried the puck into the offensive zone from the left side and beat Woll blocker side with a wrist shot. 

The Rocket took 19 shots in the period, bringing their total to 33 after 40 minutes of play. 

The Marlies scored the next two goals of the game in the third period. Darren Archibald was left open by Gustav Olofsson and Xavier Ouellet to give his team the lead. 

Bracco added to the lead as he took advantage of Ouellet caught in the offensive zone with 12:15 remaining in the third.    

At the 11:00 mark, Olofsson completed a pass to the crease for Lukas Vejdemo that tapped the puck into the net for his fourth of the season. The line of Cox, Vejdemo, and Alain was applying pressure and generating offence during the entire game. 

The Marlies scored their second power play goal of the game as Pontus Aberg’s took a shot that was redirected by Karl Alzner’s stick and on Ouellet before crossing the red line. 

Toronto got into penalty trouble at the end of the period, which the Rocket capitalized on as Charles Hudon scored a pair of power play goals. With 4:00 remaining, Hudon beat Woll with a wrist shot and 2:15 later, with Lindgren on the bench for the extra attacker, Hudon scored his fifth of the season to tie the game and send the teams to overtime. 

Hudon nearly won the game for his team on a 3-on-1, however Woll made the save. Well finished the game with 47 saves.  

For a second consecutive game, Alex Belzile was the only successful scorer in the shootout to give his team a fourth consecutive win. Lindgren stopped all three shooters and the Rocket now have a 4-0 record in that situation. 

Laval will travel to Cleveland to face the Monsters for a pair of games starting on Friday. Listen to full audio of player and coach post-game interviews in the audio player below.

Plus / Minus

▲  Dale Weise, Joe Cox, Lukas Vejdemo, Charles Hudon

▼  Gustav Olofsson, Xavier Ouellet, Ryan Poehling