Heineman Scores In Return To Rocket | RECAP: LAV @ BEL
The power play goal proved to be one of the only high points of the night for a frustrated Laval team.
GAME RECAP | Laval Rocket vs Belleville Senators
Rocket Lineup
Forward lines
81 Xavier Simoneau - 37 Brandon Gignac - 10 Joshua Roy
15 Sean Farrell - 61 Philippe Maillet - 28 Lias Andersson
21 Riley Kidney - 42 Lucas Condotta - 19 Emil Heineman
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
38 Strauss Mann
Out of the lineup:
Scratches: Olivier Galipeau, Kasimir Kaskisuo, Nolan Yaremko, Jared Davidson, Gabriel Bourque
Injuries: None
Game Report
Fresh off of a brief break to celebrate the Christmas holiday, the Laval Rocket were back on the road Thursday night to kick off their first three-in-three (three games played over three consecutive days) of the season.
Beginning the week in Belleville, the Rocket were looking to add to their two-game win streak against the Senators. Earlier in the day, forward Emil Heineman was returned to the team by the Canadiens after Montreal had activated defenseman Jordan Harris off of injured reserve. Jakub Dobes got the start in net.
The opening period was relatively quiet, until Belleville opened the scoring with just under five minutes left before intermission. Jacob Larsson floated a long shot from the left boards that found its way past Dobes on his glove side.
A few minutes later, Lucas Condotta took an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and his team paid for it when the Senators scored on the power play. Matthew Highmore managed to get a loose puck in the crease across the goal line, just before the net came off. The goal was reviewed, and confirmed.
Laval found themselves in a three-goal hole early in the second period, when Josh Currie gathered up a rebound off the end boards and chipped the puck up and into the net.
The Rocket then found themselves without the services of Riley McKay for the remainder of the game, after he put a dangerous hit on Currie and was given a match penalty for an illegal check to the head. It's possible that supplementary discipline from the AHL could follow in the coming days.
Heineman played hero on the night to save the Rocket from getting shut out, as he sniped a puck from the right circle to score a power play goal late in the second period.
Tensions rose and frustrations bubbled over in the third period, and a number of players on both sides of the ice saw their night end just over a minute before the final horn after a big scrum. Five players were given 10-minute misconducts, including Riley Kidney and Brady Keeper, as the Rocket fell 4-1 to the Senators.
Game Statistics
Rocket (9-14-3-2)
Shots: 31
Power play: 1-for-6
Penalty minutes: 39
Senators (13-11-2-2)
Shots: 26
Power play: 1-for-3
Penalty minutes: 44
Scoring Summary
Rocket Scorers
1st period: No scoring.
2nd period: Heineman (2)-PPG
3rd period: No scoring.
OT: n/a
SO: n/a
Senators Scorers
1st period: Larsson (3), Highmore (5)-PPG
2nd period: Currie (3)
3rd period: Jarventie (7)-ENG
OT: n/a
SO: n/a
Goaltenders
LAV: Dobes (L) 7-6-3-0
BEL: Sogaard (W) 6-5-2-1
Rocket Players of the Game
- Emil Heineman: Scored the Rocket's only goal, on the power play, and had three shots on goal.
Video Highlights
Video highlights will be added when available, courtesy of the Belleville Senators
Looking Back
Did you miss the Rocket's last game? Catch up on the recap here: Rocket Perfect On The Week | RECAP: WBS @ LAV
Up Next
The Laval Rocket return home to complete the remaining two games of the week against the Syracuse Crunch on Friday night and Saturday afternoon.
Puck drop on Friday, December 29, is scheduled for 7:00 pm ET at Place Bell in Laval, QC.
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.
