Down on the Farm: Alex Belzile is a shining light in the dark
This week, the Montreal Canadiens farm team is stuck in the basement of a momentum swing but the Laval Rocket have had good individual performances from it.
The Team Picture:
I’ve used the roller coaster analogy to describe the Laval Rocket‘s up-and-down season so much; lately I think I’ve given myself motion sickness. And yet, despite the continued, desperate pleas of the many Rocket boosters to get off the ride, it appears we’re all going round again. So buckle up, folks.
Considering the tumultuous trip endured so far, many Laval Rocket fans probably entered last week with a sinking feeling in the pit of their stomachs. Kind of like that sensation you get just before the roller coaster plunges downward at breakneck speed and the screaming commences.
Having posted a middling-to-poor 1-1-1 record the week prior, and facing a tough triple-header road trip, it appeared Laval was in for a rough ride ahead. So the results came as a little surprise with the Rocket losing all three dates in regulation to drop their record to 7-11-2 on the year.
Laval was in every game until the final buzzer and battled hard, but in the end there was nothing to show for their efforts. Whether it was goaltending lapses, untimely and undisciplined penalties or whatever the case may be, the end result was the same: a pointless week of play and a 28th place rank in the overall league standings.
After that bumpy road trip, the Rocket thankfully return to Laval this week for a three-game homestand and a chance to hopefully regain some much-needed ground in the AHL North Division.
The Rocket take on the Belleville Sens on Wednesday before hosting Lehigh High Valley on Friday and Utica on Saturday. Both Belleville and Utica are just ahead of Laval in the North standings, adding an even greater sense of urgency to the outcomes. Anything short of two wins this week will be a big disappointment.
Net Results
If you think the roller coaster reference is getting stale, the broken record analogy about the goaltending problems is starting to wear pretty thin too. In fact, the vinyl is all but worn out.
If the Laval Rocket are to get back in the groove anytime soon, netminders Charlie Lindgren and Michael McNiven better change their tune in a hurry and start to play like the high-calibre recruits they’re supposedly touted to be. Lindgren was a collegiate standout and McNiven an award-winning junior goalie, and yet you wouldn’t know it by watching them most nights.
Last week it was understudy McNiven who played the villain, but this week the black hat was donned by starting goalie Lindgren who turned in a pair of dastardly displays, fully deserving of a chorus of boos and hisses, and maybe even a Bronx cheer thrown in just for good measure.
On Wednesday night against Utica, Lindgren gave up three goals on 17 shots, including two third-period markers that allowed the home Comets to overcome a late-game deficit to steal the win.
He finished the game with a subpar 3.14 GAA, and a truly forgettable .824 save percentage.
If you were hoping for a bounce-back story at this point, stop reading immediately. Lindgren followed that performance up with an equally inept outing on Saturday surrendering 4 goals on 25 shots for a ghastly 4.13 GAA to go along with an equally scary .840 SV% on the night.
Overall, Lindgren is 6-8-2 with a deceptively decent 2.47 GAA and a very weak .890 SV% to date.
Meanwhile, backup netminder McNiven had a bounce-back game this week. Sort of. In a way.
After a pair of poor performances in his last two starts, McNiven allowed only two goals, albeit in a loss to Charlotte in the back end of the doubleheader on Sunday. The goal total was decent, as was the .900 SV% recorded, however, in reality, a late barrage of garbage time shots inflated the save percentage while another third-period goal in a tight affair cost Laval another game. McNiven’s record to date stands at 1-4-0 with a 2.78 GAA and a cringey .862 SV%, if that’s a word.
FYI…Laval has tied or outshot their opponents in 16 of 21 games so far this season, and currently hold a commanding 165 shot lead, having peppered their foes with 618 pucks while allowing a mere 453 against.
Getting Defensive
The Laval blueline had remained relatively intact since the start of the season. However, mounting injuries and recent promotions have forced the Rocket to shuffle their defensive deck as of late.
Laval lost projected top three D-man Gustav Olofsson back in mid-October to a season-ending shoulder injury, while rookie Cale Fleury has been sidelined the past week with what was originally diagnosed as a day-to-day ailment. Although, it has now officially become a week-to-week issue.
To further thin the farm herd, the Montreal Canadiens then called up Brett Kulak to the big leagues this past Thursday, forcing Laval to promote local kid Ryan Culkin from the Maine Mariners of the ECHL on Friday.
Culkin deserved the call after starting the year strong in Maine and immediately joined the Laval Rocket starting line-up for their weekend doubleheader against the Charlotte Checkers.
Laval’s defence is still holding strong, but the continued absence of Oloffson, Kulak and Fleury will undoubtedly affect the team’s long-term success. Oloffson is gone until next spring at the earliest, and Kulak may actually stick with the Montreal Canadiens, but at least Fleury is expected back soon.
And finally, congrats to rookie Michal Moravcik on his first AHL goal, scored Saturday vs Charlotte.
FYI…..of the ten defencemen who have suited up so far this season for Laval, nine of them are not only first-time Rockets but of the nine; none were even part of the Montreal Canadiens organization in any capacity as of last year.
Editor’s Note: If Karl Alzner clears waivers on Tuesday, he’s off to Laval, at least for the time being.
Forward Advance:
While the Laval Rocket forward grouping has remained relatively healthy as of late, they have still suffered losses to their ranks, as recent Montreal Canadiens call-ups have deprived Laval of two key veterans up front.
Last week, the Habs promoted Michael Chaput, a former Flyers third-rounder who was one of Laval’s co-captains and a leader on the young squad. This move followed the promotion earlier in the month of Kenny Agostino, another key vet and Laval point leader at the time of his call-up.
Related Story. Calling up Agostino was the right move. light
The loss of these two important cogs in the Rocket engine has caused some problems, but it has also provided an opportunity for the young talent to step up their games to match their increased ice time and responsibilities.
Rookie Jake Evans continues to lead the way for the kids, collecting a very respectable 14 points through 21 games, while fellow new recruits Lukas Vejdemo and Alexandre Alain also continue to up their respective games. Alain started slow but has quickly found his groove, notching six points in his last nine games to give him nine points through his first 20 pro games. Not bad for an undrafted kid. Meanwhile Vejdemo, the recent Swedish import, has matched Alain’s totals with nine in 20 as well.
While the focus of this column will always be on Laval’s younger players, it would be unfair to ignore the contribution of 27-year-old Alex Belzile, especially considering the current shortage of veteran forward leadership on Laval.
FYI….Belzile is an undrafted, journeyman forward with two ECHL cup rings on his fingers and a one-year minor-league deal in his pocket. Surely this guy is not part of Montreal’s future. Or is he?
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Belzile started the season slow, going pointless through his first four games, but since then the St. Eloi, Quebec native has gone on a tear, scoring at close to a point-a-game clip through this past weekend. Belzile now has 15 points through 21 games, putting him on pace for a 50+ point season, which despite his advancing age, might just land him an extension or better yet, a two-way deal come next year. At worst, he’s providing an example for the young players to follow, which just so happens to be the very definition of leadership. Bravo Alex!
On a final note, forward Phelix Martineau was promoted from the ECHL recently and saw action this week with the Rocket. The Laval native was putting up good stats with Fort Wayne before the call. Welcome home lad.
Aftermath:
Another week in the books and another lap on the roller coaster for rookie Laval Head Coach Joel Bouchard, as he tries desperately to slow the erratic momentum of his young charges and bring some much-needed consistency to the team.
That elusive consistency continues to evade the rookie coach, however, as he becomes painfully aware of the ever-changing makeup of a farm team roster. Bouchard is undeniably still happy with his choice to turn pro, but there must be days when he longs for those simpler times with the Armada, when he only had to fear personnel turnover on a yearly basis, rather than on a daily one.
Next. The Growth of Moracvik and Sklenicka. dark
At this point there appears to be no end in sight for this thrill ride, but perhaps with an upcoming home stand slate of beatable opponents ahead, the Rocket can at least hit the bottom of the dip in the track and starting going back up again. Hang on folks, this ride ain’t over.