The Montreal Canadiens AHL affiliate secured a playoff spot.
by Chris G, Rocket Sports, Montreal Canadiens blogger
The Laval Rocket were at Place Bell this weekend to host the Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs) on Friday and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Philadelphia Flyers) on Saturday.
Friday: Toronto Marlies 1 - Laval Rocket 4
The Rocket got on the board in the first minute as William Trudeau shot through traffic from the blue line that fooled the goalie. The Marlies dominated the middle frame, but their opponents capitalized on two infractions to score a pair of power play goals. First, six seconds was needed as Alex Barre-Boulet banked in a rebound from the crease, and 1:18 later, Florian Xhekaj buried a one-time pass by Lucas Condotta from the slot. Toronto cut the lead with 5:11 remaining in regulation with a pass deviation from the slot. Barre-Boulet put the final nail in the coffin with an empty net goal.
“In the first 14 minutes of the first period, we gave up no scoring chances. From that point, until the end of the second period, it was all Cayden Primeau,” Pascal Vincent said about the goalie’s 31-save performance that earned him the first star.
Saturday: Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3 - Laval Rocket 1
The Phantoms attacked in the first minute and capitalized on Gustav Lindstrom’s missed body check attempt before driving to the net to beat Connor Hughes glove side. The visitors doubled the lead prior to the intermission when a shot beat Hughes between the pads. Early into the second period, a backhander from the slot surprised Hughes through the five-hole to increase the lead. The Rocket scored their only goal of the night in the third period when Sean Farrell redirected Noel Hoefenmayer’s pass into the net.
“We played one period out of three,” Vincent stated. “In the third period, that was enough, we had to play hockey. We have to live up to our standards.”
Playoff Spot Clinched
It was a formality, but Friday’s regulation win over the Toronto Marlies officially clinched a playoff spot for the Canadiens AHL affiliate. It will be the third postseason appearance in franchise’s history. In 2021-22, the Rocket coached by Jean-Francois Houle lost in the conference final, and the following season, lost in the first round.
"I feel like I'm one piece of this big puzzle. I feel quite privileged to be part of this whole story,” Vincent noted. “You don't make the playoffs doing 1-2 things right. A lot of things need to happen. And the players are the ones paying the price. They bought into what we're trying to do. It's a good group led by a great captain, and it feels pretty good to be part of this.”
“We’re super excited. It’s been a long journey. We had a lot of unknowns in the summer to come into the season. Really proud of our group, really proud of our team and excited we’re in now. Let’s see what we can do,” added the captain Lucas Condotta.
Roster News
On Wednesday, Luke Tuch practiced for the first time in a regular jersey after being sidelined due to a lower-body injury sustained during the February 7th match in Toronto.
The following day, the team signed Mark Estapa to a professional tryout contract. The forward completed a fourth season with the University of Michigan, where he obtained 12 points in 35 games.
David Reinbacher did not dress for both games over the weekend. The team advised that the absence is related to the return to play protocol set by the Montreal Canadiens medical staff. On March 22nd, Reinbacher participated in the warmups prior to puck drop against the Cleveland Monsters before being a last minute scratch.
Up Next
The Rocket head to western Canada for a double header against the Manitoba Moose (Winnipeg Jets) on Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by a pair of matchups versus the Abbotsford Canucks (Vancouver Canucks) on Saturday and Sunday.
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