Coming off a weekend series sweep over the division-leading Cleveland Monsters, the Rocket found themselves squaring off with the Bridgeport Islanders in a bit of a trap game. While the Rocket had just added Arnaud Durandeau, he was not quite ready to face his old club, despite Jared Davidson missing the game due to injury. In Davidson’s place was Riley Kidney, while the rest of the lineup remained the same, including Jakub Dobeš starting his 10th game out of the Rocket’s last 11.
It was a solid start for the Rocket as they used their speed to generate multiple odd-man rushes, and with that multiple chances on Ken Appleby in the Islanders net. It wasn’t just single opportunities for the Rocket either. Their fourth line continued to set up in the zone and cycle the puck without difficulty as they tested Appleby repeatedly.
At the other end of the ice, Dobeš remained sharp as the Islanders’ chances were fewer but no less dangerous as the Rocket were sometimes caught a step slow on stretch passes. However, as the period neared its halfway point, the game remained a 0-0 tie thanks to the efforts of both goalies.
The Rocket’s early shot onslaught continued as they drew the game’s first penalty and were relentless as they pursued the opening goal. Appleby remained a nuisance as he came across to rob Brandon Gignac in the slot on a tic-tac-toe passing play. Even with Bridgeport killing the Rocket power play, and then quickly drawing a penalty of their own, they could not slow down Laval’s attack.
As the Rocket killed off Logan Mailloux’s slashing penalty, it was the fourth line creating chances, and this time a goal for Laval. Gabriel Bourque cut through the neutral zone, poking the puck forward before leaving as pass behind for Tobie Paquette-Bisson. The defenceman took the short feed and whistled a shot past Appleby for his seventh goal of the year.
Not even a minute later it was the Rocket defence getting back in on the action and doubling the lead. Mattias Norlinder smartly curled back through the offensive zone, finding partner Olivier Galipeau open at the point. Galipeau fired what looked like a harmless wrist shot through traffic, but it fooled Appleby to make it a two-goal lead.
Laval ended the period again killing off a penalty, this time while Emil Heineman sat for interference, but the penalty killers had no issues getting to the first intermission with their two-goal lead intact.
Laval’s penalty kill kept the offensive onslaught running, and just 64 seconds into the second period the Rocket saw their lead grow. Galipeau played an indirect pass of the boards, sending Brandon Gignac in all alone on goal. Gignac roofed his 17th goal of the year and his fourth short-handed tally to make it a 3-0 game.
Things continued to go the way of the Rocket as the speed of Laval’s forward group was proving too much for Bridgeport. Another odd-man rush resulted in Philippe Maillet looking off Xavier Simoneau, then feeding Lias Andersson to make it 4-0.
If you thought the Rocket were going to slow down from there, you would have been very wrong as Laval’s feast on opposition errors continued. A turnover in the offensive zone became another takeaway for Gignac, with the speedy forward feeding Logan Mailloux in the high-slot. Mailloux’s wrist shot clanged off the crossbar, but Sean Farrell was there to sweep in the rebound and make it a 5-0 contest.
Bridgeport did spoil Jakub Dobeš’s bid for a shutout as Julien Gauthier scored on a power play late in the period, but heading into the final 20 minutes the game was firmly in Rocket control.
With a four-goal cushion, the third period was all about clock management and taking care of the puck as they prepared for a crucial weekend ahead. That wouldn’t be an issue for the team, as the Rocket defence swept pucks away while the Islanders were unable to break down the structure as minutes bled off the clock. In the end, the three-goal outburst in the second period put the game out of reach before the third period had even begun.
Final Score: Laval 5, Bridgeport 1
Laval will welcome the Islanders back on Friday night as they look to run their point streak to five games. It’s likely that Arnaud Durandeau will find his way into the lineup after getting settled in. Puck drop between the Rocket and Islanders is set for 7:00 PM.
