The Laval Rocket allowed four goals in the third period as a 4-3 lead turned into a 7-4 loss against the Cleveland Monsters on Saturday afternoon in Ohio.
The Rocket got off to a good start, opening the scoring 3:34 into the game when Jesse Ylönen converted the two-on-one feed from Rafaël Harvey-Pinard on a one-timer for his seventh goal of the season. The goal was Ylönen’s third in six games as he is starting to heat up.
🚨Ylönen
🍎Harvey-Pinard
🍏Gignac #GoRocket https://t.co/gH5eXerS3J pic.twitter.com/LZK9Yc3hE6— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) December 17, 2022
The lead didn’t last long. Fifty-four seconds to be exact. On a power play, the Monsters tied the game when Emil Bemstrom fired a one-timer from the left circle past Kevin Poulin to make it 1-1. The Rocket penalty kill — the worst in the AHL at 68.4% — allowed three power play goals in four opportunities.
The back-and-forth start to the game continued when a minute after Cleveland’s goal, Pierrick Dubé scored his second goal of the season after Justin Barron caused a turnover in the offensive zone. He fired the wrist shot past Jet Greaves to make it 2-1.
Pierrick Dubé récupère la rondelle et marque!
Dubé scores the Rocket 2nd goal! #GoRocket https://t.co/Sq3clAv1nT pic.twitter.com/gm7WpcnHh8— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) December 17, 2022
Barron would double the Laval lead and make it 3-1 with a blast from the point with less than a minute to go in the first period.
BARR🎯N #GoRocket pic.twitter.com/8MFjXS9OJD
— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) December 17, 2022
The second period started badly for the Rocket. Brandon Davidson scored his first of the season just 16 seconds into the frame, beating Poulin with a long shot from the point.
The goals continued to come in bunches. Again on a power play, Bemstrom scored from the left circle on a one-timer and the game was tied 3-3. It was almost a carbon copy of his first goal.
Laval continued to respond well, however. On a power play of their own, Mitchell Stephens converted a wrap around chance past Greaves as the Rocket restored a 4-3 lead less than two minutes after the Monsters tied the game.
POWER PLAY GOAL 🚨#GoRocket pic.twitter.com/hNZ3RMkz0U
— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) December 17, 2022
The rest of the period would remain scoreless, as the goaltenders stepped up. Poulin made a save late in the period to keep the one goal advantage. Poulin made 21 saves in the loss.
Kevin Poulin flashed the leather and denied the Monsters a tying goal with 1:22 to play in the second period.
Feels like he doesn’t want his GAA to get an higher today. #CLEmonsters pic.twitter.com/jQXlVqfGvu
— Elaine Shircliff (@imaraindancer) December 17, 2022
Early in the third period, the Rocket penalty kill continued to cost them as they allowed a goal just 1:34 into the final period when Trey Fix-Wolansky fired a shot from the left circle, a third goal almost identical to the two power play goals Bemstrom scored earlier in the game.
Brett Gallant gave Cleveland their first lead of the game when he tipped a Billy Sweezey point shot with 11:19 to go in the game.
Laval was given a golden opportunity to get back to even shortly after. Josh Dunne took a tripping penalty, putting the Rocket on the power play. Despite some chances, they were unable to get the equalizer, and to make matters worse, less than a minute after leaving the penalty box Dunne himself on a wrap around. That made the score 6-4.
The Rocket pulled the goaltender with under five minutes remaining, and Cleveland added an empty netter by Joona Luoto with 4:29 left.
Laval and Cleveland will play again in Ohio on Sunday, with the game starting at 3:00 p.m. Eastern.
Full Highlights
Lineup
La formation pour aujourd’hui 🚀
Today’s lineup! #GoRocket pic.twitter.com/gdsezkeB9k— Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) December 17, 2022
There were no changes from the Rocket’s last game. They once again went with 11 forwards and seven defencemen.
