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Laval Rocket: Crunching out a winning effort at Place Bell

By Omar L |
LAVAL, QC - DECEMBER 20: Syracuse Crunch center Anthony Cirelli (9) and Laval Rocket defenceman Eric Gelinas (2) battle for the puck during the Syracuse Crunch versus the Laval Rocket game on December 20, 2017, at Place Bell in Laval, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LAVAL, QC - DECEMBER 20: Syracuse Crunch center Anthony Cirelli (9) and Laval Rocket defenceman Eric Gelinas (2) battle for the puck during the Syracuse Crunch versus the Laval Rocket game on December 20, 2017, at Place Bell in Laval, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Laval Rocket have had a few days off, but now they’re set to finish off January taking on a pair of the league’s best starting with the Syracuse Crunch.

The Laval Rocket aren’t in an ideal spot right now. With 33 games left in the regular season and a seven-point hole behind the Utica Comets, there is some work to be done. There’s a chance that the Rocket can pull through and make an appearance this season, but it’ll take some better efforts and most importantly consistent play to do it.

They’ll have a chance to get it started tonight with the Syracuse Crunch coming to Place Bell for 60 minutes of hockey. The Crunch are and have been one of the AHL’s best and most offensive teams this season. They’re currently third in the league in goals for with 138 but have lost some of that productivity with leading scorers Matthew Peca – 8 goals and 23 assists – and Michael Bournival – 13 goals and 14 assists –  being called up to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Crunch are a well-balanced team, and the offence has come from many areas on the team. Players such as Adam Erne or Mitchell Stephens could very well step up for Syracuse in their absence. Despite all that, Laval has a solid record against the Crunch this season. Tonight will be the fifth time the two teams will face each other, and the Rocket have won three of them.

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At the same time, Syracuse is coming into this game having lost their last two games, so they’ll be fighting to prevent it from becoming three.

Laval, on the other hand, is looking to build off their 4-0 win at Yardmen Arena last Saturday. Charlie Lindgren stopped all 25 shots he faced while Adam Cracknell added two goals of his own. Eric Gelinas had a good night offensively as well tallying up three assists. Matt Taormina is also running on a four-game point streak notching up two goals and six assists in the process.

The Rocket can’t turn this game into a track meet. Two things they’ve struggled with this season is discipline and overall defensive play. They’re 76.8% penalty kill, which is second last in the AHL, is a strong indicator of that.

It starts with Gelinas and Taormina and pools over to rookie Noah Juulsen who has adjusted well to the pro game. Lindgren has shown what he can do on a nightly basis, but he needs to team to play well in front of him. Playing with structure is what makes a team’s success sustainable, and the Laval Rocket need to do that in order to string some wins together.

Next: Get Laval into the Playoffs

What are your expectations for the game? Can Cracknell and Gelinas continue their offensive surge? Let us know in the comments.

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