Rocket Lineup

Anthony Richard – Peter Abbandonato – Joel Teasdale

Lucas Condotta – Mitchell Stephens – Nate Schnarr

Gabriel Bourque – Brandon Gignac – Pierrick Dube

Riley McKay – Jan Mysak – Xavier Simoneau

William Trudeau – Tory Dello

Mattias Norlinder – Madison Bowey

Nicolas Beaudin – Olivier Galipeau

Cayden Primeau – Kevin Poulin

Rafael Harvey-Pinard (emergency NHL recall), Rem Pitlick (emergency NHL recall), Jesse Ylonen (emergency NHL recall), Alex Belzile (emergency NHL recall), John Parker-Jones

Gianni Fairbrother (knee), Danick Martel (DTD), Otto Leskinen

Game Report

Game Report written by Amy Johnson

Friday night’s game in Rochester was one that members of the Laval Rocket were likely grateful that they couldn’t spend too much time thinking about due to the quick turnaround of their next game.

Despite putting up four goals, including a shorthanded goal and a power play goal, Jean-Francois Houle was forced to retire young Cayden Primeau halfway through the game and the Americans still pummeled their visitors in an 8-4 loss.

Saturday afternoon found the Rocket in Toronto for a matinee game against the division-leading Marlies. Primeau found himself back in the crease today, since he only played about 25 minutes of Friday night’s game. At the other end of the ice, Toronto head coach Greg Moore opted for Erik Kallgren in net.

First Period

The Rocket were gifted an early power play, but had no luck on the man-advantage. However, Primeau was fortunate to not have allowed a goal during that time when he came out of the crease and mishandled the puck. It’s something that has backfired him on more than one occasion this season, and the Marlies almost made him pay for it.

Not long after the power play expired, Nate Schnarr was awarded a penalty shot but Kallgren stoned him on the play.

Graham Slaggert lit the lamp in the final minutes of the period, after multiple attempts by Primeau and the Rocket to control a few rebounds in quick succession. The scramble ended up in the favor of the Marlies.

Nicolas Beaudin took an interference penalty 10 seconds before the period expired, leaving Laval shorthanded to begin the second frame.

Second Period

They managed to kill off Beaudin’s penalty, but continued to struggle to generate shots. For each period in this game, Laval would not be able to get into double digits on the shot clock.

William Trudeau tied the game almost midway through the period when he buried a wrist shot from the circle.

Minutes later, Schnarr found himself in the penalty box for interference and Toronto quickly capitalized on it. Nick Abruzzese fed Bobby McMann a no-look pass across the slot and McMann made no mistake on his shot in close.

Third Period

Laval tied the game once again when Mitchell Stephens scored his ninth goal of the season. Joel Teasdale forced a turnover in the neutral zone, skated the puck up ice, and passed it off to Stephens to finish the play.

With just under five minutes left in the game, Toronto pulled ahead for the last time. Max Ellis and Dryden Hunt combined on a two-on-one, and Ellis found the back of the net.

What’s Next?

Plus / Minus

▲ Nicolas Beaudin, William Trudeau

▼ Peter Abbandonato, Anthony Richard