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Laval Rocket Game Reactions: 3, 2, 1 … Blast Off to Victory

By Omar L |
MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 12: General view of the arena during the first period of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round series of the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs between the New York Rangers and the Montreal Canadiens on April 12, 2017, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 12: General view of the arena during the first period of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round series of the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs between the New York Rangers and the Montreal Canadiens on April 12, 2017, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Laval Rocket kicked off their team and regular season debut with a 3-0 shutout win against the Belleville Senators at Place Bell.

Winning has trickled down from the NHL to the AHL. Place Bell was rocking Friday night as the Laval Rocket got their first win in franchise history. This was the kind of start Laval needed. With obvious goal being the playoffs, getting the first win under your belt early into the season is definitely ideal.

The players taking part in the game was mostly what we expected. Laval decided to go with more skill leaving some of the more physical players in David Broll and Yannick Veilleux out of the line-up. Additionally, Daniel Carr missed the game due to personal reasons.

Another interesting emission from Laval was Jakub Jerabek. The 26-year-old was a player that most fans probably wanted to see the most. According to an article by tvasports.com, coach Sylvain Lefebvre wanted Jerabek to watch and become more familiar with the North American style of play.

It’s just one game, but this could be the start of a magical season for the Laval Rocket.

Thoughts and Observations

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Before the game, we noted how Michael McCarron and Nikita Scherbak needed to stand out. They didn’t disappoint. Both looked engaged and ready to show up for Laval. Their work on the second goal in particular was noteworthy.

McCarron started it all with the breakout pass, but Scherbak’s work to get through three Senators players was outstanding.

Then there was Daniel Audette who got the team’s first goal in franchise history. Audette has been impressive dating back from the Rookie Tournament. His size has been a complete non-factor as he’s continued to play with energy that you’d expect from a depth center. However, it’s hard not to give McCarron another golf clap since it was his centering pass that got Audette the goal.

Newcomer Nicolas Deslauriers also found the back of the net. It was an empty-netter but any contribution is a contribution.

Charlie Lindgren is the future Carey Price. It’s hard to say that he can reach Price’s level exactly, but he will be an NHL starting goaltender one day. Lindgren made 26 saves in the Rocket’s victory. Some of which weren’t easy to make especially early in the game when the Senators came out hot.

This team isn’t going to be a flash in the pan. They’re fast and well structured, so much that Belleville had a hard time finding an answer for them at times. One thing that will have to be improved is discipline.

Laval took a total of nine penalties. As good as Lindgren is, he can’t stop everything, and you don’t want to give your opponent that many opportunities.

It won’t be too long until the next game for the Laval Rocket as they will play the Senators again Saturday night. There might be more changes in the line-up, but hopefully the result remains the same.

Next: Prospect Updates: September 22nd - 28th

What did you make of the Laval Rocket game? Let us know your thoughts down below.

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