Laval Rocket Weekend Recap: Jakub Jerabek is Making an Impact

The Laval Rocket had a successful weekend winning both games, but the improved play of rookie Jakub Jerabek is catching people’s attention.

It’s continuing to be a great inaugural season for the Laval Rocket. The team has still been able to put together wins despite losing a handful of their top contributors via call-ups to the Montreal Canadiens.

Nikita Scherbak had a goal and eight assists in six games before getting the promotion up to the Habs along with Michael McCarron, who sent him back down. Additionally, Laval’s goalie tandem in Charlie Lindgren and Zachary Fucale are shutting the door in the NHL where Lindgren, in particular, is sporting a 3-1 record and .964 save percentage.

There’s also Rocket captain Byron Froese who has replaced McCarron on the fourth line. He’s yet to record a point, but the 26-year-old is a force on the forecheck and knows how to win a faceoff (currently has a 62.5 faceoff percentage).

Again, other players on Laval have been able to step up and take the place of those in the NHL. Michael McNiven was called up from the Brampton Beast, and Peter Holland is the team’s new top center along with Chris Terry and Daniel Carr on his wings. Laval also had to sign Ètienne Marcoux on a professional tryout to fill the backup role for the time being.

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I did mention that the team won both of their games right? Let’s see how each went.

Game 1 @ Springfield Thunderbirds

The Rocket walked into Springfield on a three-game winning streak looking for number four. The team had a textbook start to the match, besides the early penalty to Thomas Ebbing for high-sticking. After that, Laval went on the attack.

Springfield’s Ryan Horvat took a roughing penalty which was a bad move. A returning Chris Terry blasted the one-timer pass from Matt Taormina to open the scoring. Less than a minute after, Jèrèmy Grègoire showed some nifty hands deflecting a Tom Parisi shot from the point. Peter Holland decided to join in on the fun as well to finish the period. Terry got his second point of the night after dishing the puck to Holland in the slot which went five-hole on Thunderbirds’ netminder Samuel Montembeault. Three minutes, three goals, it’s looking good for Laval.

Unfortunately, Springfield bought too much into the “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery line,” line. Laval eased up on the gas and allowed the Thunderbirds to comeback with three goals of their own in the second period. They had plenty of opportunities to put the game away as well with the four power plays they had.

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Curtis Valk gave his team the lead 37 seconds into the third period. Cross ice play and difficult for McNiven to stop, but you would’ve liked Brett Lernout to have his man there. Laval’s top line came together for another goal in the final minute of the game from Daniel Carr, but it was too late. Valk put in the empty netter, and the Rocket’s win streak came to an end at three losing this one 6-4.

You have to feel bad for McNiven who didn’t look terrible despite giving up five goals on 31 shots in his AHL debut. He was a big part of Laval’s domination in the first period and deserved a better fate at the final buzzer.

Game 2 @ Hartford Wolf Pack

Thankfully with the schedule, Laval didn’t have to live with the taste of defeat in their mouths for too long. It was a similar start to their previous game, minus the Yannick Veilleux fight. Laval opened the scoring with Kyle Baun‘s second of the season. It was an exciting series of events that lead to the puck going in. Baun was alone in the slot and took a shot, but a defending Wolf Pack player slid into Alexander Georgiyev to try to stop the puck, but it led to the goal. It took some reviewing, but Baun got the credit and Laval were up 1-0.

Hartford got back in the game after a Daniel Catenacci shot deflected in off of Lernout. More bad luck for McNiven considering he had a solid game so far stopping point-blank chances. There weren’t any more goals until 90 seconds left in regulation, but it wasn’t for Laval. Lernout redeemed himself with good work on the penalty kill earlier in the period, but he and Eric Gelinas looked bad on that play as Vinni Lettieri stole the puck and made it a 2-1 hockey game.

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It was all over for Laval…that is until Jakub Jerabek set up Terry for another blast at the circles to tie it with 50 seconds left! Ladies and gentlemen, we were going to overtime.

Overtime didn’t last too long after Daniel Audette won the game with his fifth of the season. Sure it’s a goal the Wolf Pack goaltender should have, but Laval got the win from it.

Jerabek assisted on that goal as well giving him three points over the two games and a total of 10 on the season. He’s not the player he was to start and is flourishing in the AHL at the moment. It makes you think if a call-up with the Montreal Canadiens is in the horizon for him. Considering he’s only on a one-year deal, you have to think the Habs will continue to take a long look at Jerabek.

Next: Lindgren is Staying

What did you make of the games? Can McNiven continue to play well for Laval? Should the Habs give Lernout a call? Let us know your thoughts down below.