Rocket Perfect On The Week | RECAP: WBS @ LAV

GAME RECAP | Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs Laval Rocket

Forward lines
81 Xavier Simoneau - 37 Brandon Gignac - 10 Joshua Roy
21 Riley Kidney - 42 Lucas Condotta - 20 Gabriel Bourque
15 Sean Farrell - 61 Philippe Maillet - 28 Lias Andersson
68 Riley McKay - 14 Jan Mysak - 17 Nathan Legare

Defense pairings
72 Arber Xhekaj - 24 Logan Mailloux
84 William Trudeau - 4 Paquette-Bisson
29 Mattias Norlinder - 25 Brady Keeper

Goaltenders
71 Jakub Dobes
73 Kasimir Kaskisuo

Out of the lineup:
Scratches: Olivier Galipeau, Strauss Mann, Nolan Yaremko, Jared Davidson

Injuries: None

The Laval Rocket returned home on Friday after winning two times during a three-game road trip. Jean-Francois Houle welcomed forwards Lias Andersson and Sean Farrell to the lineup after they missed 16 and eight games respectively due to injury. 

The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins had several familiar faces in their lineup as former Rocket captain Xavier Ouellet, and former Rocket/Habs Rem Pitlick and Peter Abbandonato were dressed in the visitors uniform on Friday. 

Laval opened the scoring early in the second period on a sequence that began when Sean Farrell took possession of the puck after Jack Rathbone broke his stick to lose it, and it led to William Trudeau banking it in from the blue paint. 

The Penguins tied it midway through the frame as Jan Mysak skated out of the penalty box when Alex Nylander deflected a shot from the point behind Jakub Dobes. 

Indiscipline creeped up on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Laval made them pay a steep price for it with three power play goals in less than three minutes. First, Logan Mailloux beat Magnus Hellberg with a one-timer from the blue line. 

On the next power play, Arber Xhekaj potted his first career AHL goal with a shot from the slot. Finally, Mailloux found Brandon Gignac uncovered on the side of the net to give the home team a three-goal lead. On the sequence, Gignac extended his point streak to eight games. 

Sean Farrell added to Laval's lead in the early stages of the third period after completing the one-timer pass received from Maillet. It was the forward's first goal since November 15th. 

Late in the third period, Dmitri Samorukov closed the gap to three goals with a shot from the blue line that landed behind Dobes. 

The Rocket's three power play goals in the middle frame were the difference maker on Friday. Heading into the contest, the Penguins had the second best penalty kill in of the American Hockey League. 

Laval is on their hottest stretch of the season having won four of their last five matches and are in the race to clinch a playoff spot. A contributing factor to their current success is the offensive contribution of their defencemen with six of the team's last nine goals scored.

Rocket (9-13-3-2)
Shots: 38
Power play: 3-for-5
Penalty minutes: 14

Penguins (15-10-3-0)
Shots: 26
Power play: 0-for-5
Penalty minutes: 14

Rocket Scorers
1st period: No scoring
2nd period: Trudeau (3), Mailloux (5)-PPG, Xhekaj (1)-PPG, Gignac (10)-PPG
3rd period: Farrell (5)
OT: n/a
SO: n/a

Penguins Scorers
1st period: No scoring
2nd period: Nylander (10)
3rd period: Samorukov (2)
OT: n/a
SO: n/a

Goaltenders
LAV: Dobes (W) 7-5-3-0
WBS: Hellberg (L) 5-4-0-0

Video highlights courtesy of the Laval Rocket

Jean-Francois Houle

Arber Xhekaj

Sean Farrell

Logan Mailloux

Philippe Maillet

Did you miss the Rocket's last game? Catch up on the recap here: Rocket Hold Off Crunch | RECAP: LAV @ SYR

The Laval Rocket are on their Christmas break until Wednesday when they will begin their preparation for their next match against the Belleville Senators the following night. 

Puck drop on Thursday, December 28, is scheduled for 7:00 pm ET at CAA Arena in Belleville, ON.

Be sure to bookmark THN.com/Montreal for year-round coverage of the Montreal Canadiens, Laval Rocket, and Habs prospects playing in leagues around the world.