Danick Martel wants to make a difference for Laval Rocket. We can say he kept his promise in the first game of the series against the Rochester Americans.
Martel nurtured the offense by moving the ropes four times, and the Rockets crushed the Americans 6-1, Sunday night, in front of an excited crowd at Place Bell.
That’s why the Rocket took control of the last North Division series. The second confrontation will be held on Monday night, in Laval.
Injured in the final game of the series against the Syracuse Crunch on Tuesday, we don’t know if Martel will be there for this first duel against the Americans.
” It’s definitely fun. This doesn’t often happen in shows like this. The puck followed me everywhere. Several times I tried to give so as not to be selfish. My case is uncertain, but I definitely want to participate in this battle. I went into the meeting and tried to make a change. “
Martel and his team’s game could have been very different, if not for Cayden Primeau’s amazing save. The 22-year-old goalkeeper stopped 31 shots and notably stood in the first period ahead of top prospects JJ Peterka and Peyton Krebs.
Primeau made the saving keys early in the game and then we got the upper hand. We played a strong defensive game. Everyone is talking about the Tampa Bay Lightning offense, but the defense really gives them the wins, Rocket head coach Jean-François Houle reviews. The Americans were a great team and we studied them a bit in the first stage.
Nate Schnarr had a goal and an assist, while Cédric Paquette completed the scoring for Laval. Sami Niku participated in two goals for his team.
In the final moments of the game, young defender Mattias Norlinder was hit in the blind spot by Ben Holmstrom. Her state of health will be checked by doctors.
Americans did not hesitate to cross the limit of legality in the third twenty. Defender Nick Boka, who is not known for his ability to attack, has been looking for a client several times.
It’s part of the playoffs, but this particular player is on the ice at the same time. Sadly it ended like thissaid Houle, perhaps throwing a small arrow at Americans head coach Seth Appert.
At the Americans ’camp, Peterka went there with his fifth goal since the playoffs began. Goaltender Aaron Dell allowed 4 goals in 20 shots. As a remedy, Michael Houser held 16 of the 18 pucks focused on him.
The attack explodes
Primeau set the tone of the game by standing in front of Peterka after a breakaway and playing luck when Jack Quinn inserted the puck between his pads, but off target.
The Rocket goaltender then teamed up with defender Xavier Ouellet to steal a definite goal from Krebs. The 21-year-old striker first approached Primeau’s right leg and when he approached the net to place the disc in an empty cage, Ouellet who was waiting for him, dived.
The Americans retaliated by opening the scoring with 3:19 left in the first period. Peterka returned to the top of the right circle and fired a shot that startled Primeau in the right arm.
Dell blocked a point-blank shot from Alex Belzile after a face-off on American territory, but moments later Martel quickly deflected a shot from Brandon Gignac to tie the score. The puck touched the post to Dell’s left, the one behind the net and the one to the goalkeeper’s right, before returning to the front. The video replay confirmed the goal.
Rocket exploded on offense with a three-goal spurt in just six minutes into the second period. Martel first gave his team the lead by jumping to his own comeback. In turn, Paquette did well to disturb Dell in front of his half circle.
Rafaël Harvey-Pinard then served a deft pass to Mark Alt, before offering a raised pass to Paquette’s stick blade, who didn’t miss the golden opportunity.
After the fight on the blue line, Belzile told me I had time and noticed that the defender had a bad space. I knew I could fake it, and I did. Then I passed Cédric without thinkingobservation by Harvey-Pinard.
Martel caused a mess of caps less than three minutes later when he chased Dell out of the game with a wrist shot over the goalie’s mitt.
The Americans shrugged in the third period, but were also fierce. Martel took the opportunity to end his dream night by beating Houser one-timer.
Source: Radio-Canada
