The opening minutes of the first period between the Laval Rocket and Rochester Americans can’t really be described as a chess game. It felt more similar to the line of scrimmage in a football game, just waiting for an individual play to make something happen. It took about seven minutes for Laval to create the opening chances, and some very good counter-attacks, but Devon Levi stood tall at those occasions in Rochester’s net. Laval continued to create chances, but rarely any sustained pressure, and couldn’t get an offensive-zone face off to build from.
At the other end, Cayden Primeau did touch the puck, but he didn’t have to stop a shot until 17 minutes had gone by in the first period. Then the shots came in rapid succession as the home team was called for a penalty with two minutes to go. That gave the defensive specialists their work, but the teams went into the intermission tied at nil.
The second period opened with a huge chance for William Trudeau, but in the following action Laurent Dauphin got called for a holding. Once again the penalty-killers stepped up to the plate, and the game was still tied at the end of the penalty.
Logan Mailloux tried his best Lane Hutson impression at the offensive blue line, but lost both the puck and the foot race the other way. While Primeau stopped the initial shot, Graham Slaggert put the rebound away as both Joshua Roy or Tyler Wotherspoon coasted toward the Rocket net on the backcheck.
Florian Xhekaj got the first chance to get the goal back, but Levi held steady. Still, for the first time, the Rocket got some prolonged pressure in the offensive zone.
When Adam Engström took what looked like a stick to his face it seemed like the Rocket would get their first power play of the night. Upon review, it was clear that it was the puck that hit Engström and the penalty was rightly taken off.
The Rocket finally got a power play with five minutes to go of the second period, the question was if they could solve the Levi puzzle. Even if the Rocket had some good chances, they couldn’t come up with a solution. Laval got a second power play with a minute to go, but it was the Americans who went into the second intermission with a one-goal lead.
Engström got the first big chance of the third period, but shot wide. Rochester was good at keeping things on the outside while defending its lead. When the Rocket did complete cross-ice passes in the offensive zone, the finish was lacking.
Eventually, Vincent Arseneau stood tall in a scramble in front of the net, and the game was tied with less than seven minutes to go.
The Rocket increased the tempo of the game as it moved toward its close. The increased pressure was rewarded as Rafaël Harvey-Pinard set up Roy for the game-winner with 41 second to spare.
Even with Lucas Condotta taking a late penalty, the Rocket managed to hang on for the second regulation win of the weekend over the team that arrived at Place Bell in first place in the league..
Final score: Laval 2 Rochester 1
On a personal note, it is interesting to see how Engström has changed his game to be a bit more simple, and less of a puck-carrier compared to how he played in the SHL.
The Rocket now with a two-point cushion on top spot, will be back in action on Wednesday when they host the woeful Bridgeport Islanders.
League standings
