The Laval Rocket dug deep on Wednesday night when they found themselves trailing on the scoreboard heading into the third period.
The Laval Rocket dug deep on Wednesday night when they found themselves trailing on the scoreboard heading into the third period.
GAME RECAP | Utica Comets vs Laval Rocket
Rocket Lineup
Forward lines
81 Xavier Simoneau - 61 Philippe Maillet - 28 Lias Andersson
12 Filip Cederqvist - 37 Brendan Gignac - 19 Emil Heineman
42 Filip Cederqvist - 27 Mitchell Stephens - 20 Gabriel Bourque
21 Riley Kidney - 14 Jan Mysak - 49 Jared Davidson
Defense pairings
4 Paquette-Bisson - 24 Logan Mailloux
84 William Trudeau - 52 Justin Barron
29 Mattias Norlinder - 44 Olivier Galipeau
Goaltenders
71 Jakub Dobes
73 Kasimir Kaskisuo
Out of the lineup:
Scratches: Strauss Mann, Nicolas Beaudin, Nolan Yaremko, Joshua Roy
Injuries: Nathan Legare (lower-body), Sean Farrell (upper-body), Brady Keeper (lower body)
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_iU69UZUik[/embed]
Game Report
The Laval Rocket defeated the Utica Comets 5-2 on Wednesday at Place Bell. The victory extended the Rocket's winning streak to five games and 10 games without a regulation loss.
There was several changes to the lineup as Jean-Francois Houle welcomed Justin Barron and Mitchell Stephens to the lineup, after they were assigned to the AHL earlier in the week. The 23-year-old collected three points in 23 games with the Canadiens.
Mattias Norlinder returned to action after being sidelined the last two matches due to sickness. Riley McKay and Nicolas Beaudin were scratched to make room for the returning players.
Joshua Roy was assigned to Laval on Wednesday afternoon after spending 12 days with the big club, but was not dressed for the contest. The 20-year-old tallied two points in six games in the NHL.
The Rocket got on the board first at the 11:26 mark when William Trudeau beat Akira Schmid with a shot from the faceoff circle. Emil Heineman extended his point streak to six games with an assist on the play.
The home team did not take a shot on goal for the last 6:41 of the first period as indisciplined creeped in. Norlinder, Brandon Gignac and Olivier Galipeau took consecutive penalties that kept Laval short handed for the remainder of the period.
Utica's power play, ranked 30th before the contest, took advantage of the double minor against Galipeau and put in a buzzer beater with under one second remaining.
The visitors scored the only goal in the middle frame when Brian Halonen recorded his second of the night with an accurate top corner shot on the blocker side.
Gabriel Bourque made it 2-2 in the third period right off the faceoff and jammed the puck top corner. It was the captain's first goal of the year.
The home team took control of the contest later in the period by lighting the red light twice in 10 seconds with goals by Stephens and Logan Mailloux. The goal extended Mailloux's point streak to five games.
Mailloux sealed the victory with an empty net goal for his 10th of the year.
Houle's team worked hard in the third period and important goals by the veterans Bourque and Stephens lead the way.
Barron finished the contest with two shots on goal and plus-3.
After the game, the Canadiens recalled Lucas Condotta. He obtained two assists and plus-3 on Wednesday.
Game Statistics
Rocket (18-14-4-2)
Shots: 33
Power play: 0-for-3
Penalty minutes: 8
Comets (14-16-4-3)
Shots: 29
Power play: 1-for-4
Penalty minutes: 6
Scoring Summary
Rocket Scorers
1st period: Trudeau (4)
2nd period: No scoring
3rd period: Bourque (1), Stephens (4), Mailloux (9), Mailloux (10)-ENG
OT: n/a
SO: n/a
Comets Scorers
1st period: Halonen (6)-PPG
2nd period: Halonen (7)
3rd period: No scoring.
OT: n/a
SO: n/a
Goaltenders
LAV: Dobes (W) 12-6-4-0
UTC: Schmid (L) 2-3-4-0
Rocket Players of the Game
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Video Highlights
Video highlights courtesy of the Laval Rocket
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stegYHxuF70[/embed]
Post-Game Interviews
Jean-Francois Houle
Mitchell Stephens
William Trudeau
Looking Back
Did you miss the Rocket's last game? Catch up on the recap here: Bitter Battle in Belleville | RECAP: LAV @ BEL
Up Next
The Rocket head on the road for two games over the weekend beginning on Friday in Syracuse.
Puck drop on Friday, January 26th, is scheduled for 7:00 pm ET at Upstate Medical University Arena in Syracuse, NY.
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.
