After a tremendous win in the shootout on Friday night, the Laval Rocket returned to the ice in Utica to take on the Comets again, with a third and final match set for Wednesday in Laval. The Rocket were riding a three-game winning streak coming into the game, and found themselves just two points out of the final playoff spot in the North Division.
Laval got a slight boost to the lineup as Riley Kidney had recovered from the illness that prevented him from travelling with the team on Friday, and took a spot on the fourth line with Riley McKay and Jan Mysak. The defence remained the same as Friday night, while Kasimir Kaskisuo was given his second start for the Rocket with Strauss Mann serving as his backup
It didn’t take long for the Rocket to find the back of the net against the Comets, with their top six continuing to be a force that opposing defences struggle with. Lias Andersson entered the zone leaving a pass for Sean Farrell. The rookie winger fed the puck to Brandon Gignac in front of goal. Gignac took the pass in his skates, then cheekily fired it back between his legs to make it a 1-0 game.
Thirty seconds later, however, the Rocket found themselves on the penalty kill with McKay taking a seat for hooking. With the penalty nearly expired, Arber Xhekaj and Logan Mailloux lost track of bodies around the net. Brian Halonen got the first crack on net, but his shot bounced to a wide-open Joe Gambardella who fired it by Kaskisuo to tie the game up.
Things got feisty as the Rocket lost Farrell to an apparent injury on a power play of their own after being tripped up in the corner. On the following shift, Samuel Laberge appeared to catch Gabriel Bourque with a knee as an odd-man rush finished in Comets territory, drawing the ire of McKay who grabbed Laberge for a long fight afterward. Before the period was over, both Bourque and Farrell were ruled out with injuries, leaving the Rocket extremely short-handed for the rest of the day.
Joshua Roy was there to pick up some of the slack, creating opportunities by stealing the puck repeatedly deep inside the Comets’ zone, but his passing efforts were broken up by Utica sticks before Mailloux could get his shot off after pinching in from the point. When it looked like things might settle down just a bit, Samuel Laberge took a shot on Kasimir Kaskisuo well after the whistle had gone for offside, instantly drawing a reaction from Mailloux. The Rocket made the ensuing four-on-four into a four-on-three as Xavier Parent was called for high-sticking
With Parent’s penalty being a double minor, the Rocket had a huge chance to break the deadlock late in the first period, but instead promptly took a too many men penalty, pushing the play back to four-on-four to start the second period.
Just 38 seconds in, the Rocket offence finally found another breakthrough opportunity. Philippe Maillet kicked the puck back to Xhekaj at the blue line, Xhekaj in turn pushed it right over to Mailloux. The rookie defenceman snapped a long shot from the point and it fooled Akira Schmid to put the Rocket back on top.
Laval’s offence was playing full of confidence after the goal, with Roy smoothly skating in and around defenders with ease, but his passes weren’t able to find a home and it remained a one-goal lead for Laval.
Then, tempers began flaring again as Chase Stillman agitated William Trudeau behind the play, resulting in Trudeau throwing off his gloves and hammering Stillman in a quick fight.
Xhekaj then fell victim to some acting by Laberge deep in the Rocket zone, sending Xhekaj to the box for holding and giving Utica a power play chance to find a tying goal. Laval handled the power play without much issue, allowing Kaskisuo to smother pucks while the penalty-killers kept the zone clear. However, a slashing call on Trudeau put them right back on the penalty kill with just over seven minutes left in the period.
Laval’s penalty-killers again handled the power play of the Comets without any real issue, but as the penalty expired it was Utica who found a gap to exploit in the Rocket defence. An odd-man rush left Andersson covering for the defence, allowing Filip Engaras to feed Laberge for the game-tying goal.
Despite the penalties piling up, the Rocket continued to march to the penalty box as Mattias Norlinder went next. Laval killed 99% of the minor penalty, only to surrender a goal to Ryan Schmelzer with one second left on the power play to enter the third period trailing by a goal.
There wasn’t much of anything happening for either side as the third began, but a turnover behind the Rocket net by Roy led to a scramble deep in the defensive zone that resulted in Roy firing the puck out of play for a penalty. There was no last-second goal for the Comets this time, as Laval’s penalty-killers clamped down to keep the deficit at just one goal as the third period neared the halfway mark.
Out of nowhere, it was the Rocket back in the driver’s seat with Kidney springing Gignac on an odd-man rush. Gignac flew down the ice and put a pass right into the wheelhouse of Jared Davidson, and Davidson buried his fourth goal of the year by Schmid to tie the game at three goals apiece.
A hook by Kyle Criscuolo then put Laval on a power play of their own. Down two of their regulars on the man advantage, the Rocket power play wasn’t able to trouble the Comets all that much, leaving the game tied entering the final half of the period.
It was Kaskisuo who was called upon in the closing minutes to secure at least a point for the Rocket as he came up with multiple big saves in close to keep the game tied, and eventually heading into overtime.
Despite the Rocket owning control of the puck for almost the entire overtime period, the Comets kept them out of the most dangerous areas, leading the two sides to again settle things in a shootout for a second point.
The shootout was kind to the Rocket as Kaskisuo slammed the door shut on Arnaud Durandeau and Justin Dowling at one end. At the other end, both Philippe Maillet and Brandon Gignac beat Schmid clean to secure a second, crucial point in the standings.
Final Score: Laval 4, Utica 3 (SO)
Laval heads back to Place Bell on a four-game win streak, and welcomes the Comets for a third straight game on Wednesday night.
