There is little success in Laval these days in addition to the timeless classics that are the Cosmodôme, Illumi and, to a lesser extent, the Center de la nature.
Rocket, this school club of the Montreal Canadiens, is making an impact on the ice as in the hearts of orphaned professional hockey fans in the region. Around Place Bell, one to two hours before the third game of the semi-final series between the Rocket and Springfield Thunderbirds, won 6-3 of the latter giving themselves a 2-1 lead in the series, it is celebrating, needs an aperitif, it takes advantage of the good outdoors in a good mood.
For the fourth time in five home games since the start of the playoffs, the amphitheater sold out to 10,043 spectators. Malakas pala. Very motivated.
They had some Canadian hope put in their mouths with Cayden Primeau, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard and Jesse Ylönen and, suddenly, Wednesday night, a newcomer: the top scorer in the QMJHL, Joshua Roy.
CH’s 5th round selection in 2021 participated in a first against professionals at the age of just 18. Players at this age are generally not eligible to play in the American League, but can sign a tryout when their junior team is eliminated. For the record, Roy will have to return to Sherbrooke next year. Meanwhile, he came to learn.
And despite a match with no embellishment, without much brilliance, Beauceron gives the impression of quick learning.
It’s rare to see a young man that age on a seasoned team of veterans in the middle of a playoff push. The level of play, the intensity, the speed is higher than QMJHL. Roy admitted this after the encounter, although it didn’t seem to particularly move him.
There is less space on the ice. You have to do the small details and it’s more physicalhe listed to highlight the differences.
In the next question, in English, he caught himself.
More physical actuallysaid Roy.
Perhaps he had in mind the sneaky check from behind the meticulous Dakota Joshua at the very end of the fight. A gesture that didn’t melt Alex Belzile who was willing to show his young teammate that he was also part of the team. Belzile threw himself at the sturdy winger without asking.
The guy came out, junior. He is a good man, he is talented. We need to make it comfortable. They were big, super physical and this was his first game. When one of your siblings is hit from behind … For me, that is an ordinary check, let’s say politely. I no longer thought, I reactedexplained Belzile.
However, more will be needed to shake the Saint-Georges striker.
” I am not a stressed man in life. Certainly before riding on the ice, I was a bit stressed, but suddenly the fight started, I never thought of that. I’m playing my game and it’s really going well. “
There were ups and downs, but overall, his trio did well with Cédric Paquette and Joël Teasdale. Three Quebecers didn’t give the opponent a goal and Roy finally got three shots on goal along with the first-rate chance he created himself by stripping. the defender two against one. Goalkeeper Joel Hofer had just the best on the streak.
He was very good, Jean-François Houle approved. He had a cut of chances to score, he didn’t get in trouble and kept it simple.
The condition of veteran Gabriel Bourque should determine whether he will make Game 4 Friday night at Laval, but for a team that hasn’t always had a contribution since the start of the playoffs, Roy is an option. Because talent is clear.
Lack of discipline
Rocket’s penalty kill was perfect on 8 occasions and, ironically, the team sank. Not the inferiority unit itself, but the many penalties. Laval was in the game at 1-1 in the second period. The school club, however, received four consecutive minor penalties including 1 min 30 s in five against three in favor of the Thunderbirds.
Laval residents withstood multiple attacks before breaking down minutes later in five against five with a contingent of players increasingly tired of responsibility for the loss.
We have too many penalties. Our penalty kill was great. He should have given us some momentum, but it had the opposite effect on the men on the bench for quite some time. The Thunderbirds scored two 5-on-5s straight after our penalty kill. They had a very good fight, a heavy fight in our zone, they were hard to defend. Credit to their teamsummary by Jean-François Houle.
Again, this duel has a bit of a three -color flavor. A former player from the organization has a say in every game. Matthew Peca gave his team overtime victory in the first, Charlie Lindgren was generous with his former friends in the second and Will Bitten, son of Olympic badmintonists, scored four goals on Wednesday night.
The match of a lifetime for CH’s former third round choice in 2016.
The next two games of the series will take place in Laval next Friday and Saturday.
Source: Radio-Canada
