The Montreal Canadiens AHL affiliate finish the regular season on top
by Chris G, Rocket Sports, Montreal Canadiens blogger
The Laval Rocket wrapped up the regular season with home games against the Belleville Senators (Ottawa) on Wednesday and Friday, followed by a final trip to Belleville on Saturday to conclude the triple header.
Wednesday: Belleville Senators 2 - Laval Rocket 1
The Senators led 1-0 midway through the third period when the home squad got on the board. Luke Tuch was falling to the ice in the corner and found a way to deliver the puck to William Dineen in the slot. Dineen jumped on the occasion to record his first goal at the professional level. Belleville scored the game winner shortly after with a shot from the blue line before finding its way behind Jacob Fowler.
“We weren’t playing fast like we normally do. We’re a team that plays direct, and now we tried to make lateral plays. When we started to play direct, we started to get scoring chances, mostly towards the end. That’s what we did when Dineen scored,” Pascal Vincent said.
Friday: Belleville Senators 1 - Laval Rocket 5
The Rocket opened the scoring early into the contest as Florian Xhekaj jumped on a rebound that the goalie failed to control. Less than two minutes later, Jared Davidson’s backhander hit Xavier Simoneau’s skate before crossing the line. It was Simoneau’s first goal in 29 games.
In the second period, Lucas Condotta had a clear path to the net and used it to beat the netminder with a top corner shot. Sean Farrell added to the lead early into the third period when Alex Barre-Boulet from behind the net fed him the puck and he buried it. Belleville sneaked in a goal to break the shutout on a shot that Cayden Primeau would like to have back.
With the Senators needing a win to remain alive for a chance to earn a spot in the playoffs, they pulled their goalie with eight minutes remaining. Barre-Boulet capitalized on the situation to record an empty netter.
The victory crowned the Canadiens affiliated as champions of the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy for the 2024-2025 season, awarded to the team with the best regular-season record in the American Hockey League.
"I'm really proud of them. After the game, I told them that everyone did their job,” Vincent explained the team’s success. “Our leaders did an extraordinary job. Being from Laval and sharing this moment with the fans at Place Bell tonight, it's really special."
For Saturday’s rematch, the team signed forwards Bradley Chenier, Anthony Poulin, Charles-Antoine Roy and defenseman Brendon Clavelle to amateur tryout contracts. All four played with the Ottawa Gee-Gees this season. Seven regulars did not travel to Belleville as it had no playoff implications.
Saturday: Laval Rocket 5 - Belleville Senators 4 (overtime)
The visitors got on the board first as William Trudeau made a cross ice pass to Owen Beck that put the goalie out of position for the goal. In the final moments of the first period, Florian Xhekaj redirected Tyler Wotherspoon’s pass across the red line to double the lead.
In the second period, the Rocket capitalized on their first power play opportunity as Luke Tuch tapped in a loose puck. Indiscipline was costly as Belleville cut the lead with two power play goals. With 0:30 remaining, Noel Hoefenmayer gave some breathing room with a slap shot from the blue line through a screen for the goal.
The Senators forced overtime with two goals, including a third power play goal of the contest, in the final 1:28 of regulation. Xhekaj settled the match with a wrist shot and finished the season with 24 goals.
Roster News
Lucas Condotta has been named for a second consecutive season as the team’s winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year award for his outstanding contributions to the Laval community during the 2024-25 season.
Cayden Primeau and Connor Hughes won the Holmes Memorial Award handed out to the goaltenders with the lowest goals against average. In 54 games total, the duo maintained 2.36 goals against average.
Joshua Roy was assigned to Laval by the Canadiens on Thursday. In his most recent stint, he scored twice in eight games before being scratched for the final 10 contests.
Rafael Harvey-Pinard and Brandon Gignac practised with the team wearing no contact jerseys. Harvey-Pinaed has been sidelined with an upper body injury since March 15th, while Gignac has played one game since November 22 due to a lower body injury.
Up Next
The Rocket will practice all week as they await the winner of the series between the Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Cleveland Monsters (Columbus Blue Jackets). If Toronto wins the best-of-five series against will begin at Place Bell on April 30th. If the Monsters advance, the first two games will be played in Cleveland before the series shifts to Laval for the final three contests.
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