Laval Rocket: Game #56 vs. Belleville Senators (7PM ET on RDS, AHL TV, TSN 690 & BPM Sports)

[Adam Michaels]

NEWS
- Fred Allard will make his debut with Laval, paired with Norlinder.



- Danick Martel will return to the line-up tonight after missing 3 months to injury.



- Laval signed Nolan Yaremko to a PTO:

​

It's getting really tight in the Division. Laval is currently in 5th place and in a playoff position. If they win tonight, they pass Rochester by 1 point and climb to 4th, but the Amerks will have 3 games in hand.

Meanwhile 2 pts behind Laval are Cleveland and in last place is Belleville, but they are 3 pts behind Laval. So if the Rocket can win tonight in regulation, they can move 5 pts ahead of the Sens. The margin for error is really thin. They are really not in a position where they can afford to lose games because it will be the difference between being in a playoff position and finding themselves outside looking in.


On an individual level, Mitchell Stephens is finally showing what he was signed to do, putting up 12 pts in the last 13 games.
Norlinder is also slowly coming into his own, playing a more assertive game and producing, as well, putting up 8 pts in the last 12 games.
Trudeau is continuing to be Laval's most consistent defenseman, putting up 8 pts in his last 9 games.
Teasdale has been one of the most productive players in the AHL since December.

So individually, Laval has got guys going. As a team, they have picked up points in 7 of their last 10, winning 5 of them.

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[Tyson]

These are must win games.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Lines this morning:



Looks like Dello and Bowey will be healthy scratches tonight among the D. We know Allard will form a pair with Norlinder. That should leave Trudeau, Schueneman, Galipeau & Beaudin as he other defensemen.




JF Houle says he remembers how in the ECF last year, Springfield were bigger and were able to push Laval's guys around. Hence why Laval went and got McKay and signed Yaremko to a PTO. They both add sandpaper to the line-up. And in Yaremko's case, he adds size, too.



We should also remember that John Parker-Jones is also a big boy who can play physical.

We were saying that losing Baddock and having Pez with the Habs could hurt the team in terms of physicality and having guys who can help create some space for the skill guys. So it's nice they did look to address that this year.

 

[schwang26]

I'm not hopeful. No matter how bad Belleville sucks, laval just can't seem to bear them.

 

[Tyson]

I'm not hopeful. No matter how bad Belleville sucks, laval just can't seem to bear them.

Habs have teams like that too. I can never figure that out.

 

[Tyson]

Primeau is mid season form. Belleville leads1-0

 

[Team_Spirit]

Belleville again?

That's the 12th time this season wtf

 

[Runner77]

Better late than never but I did manage a great workout in the cold air.





I see that the Predident of GDT Ninja Rocket inc. is back to generating Rocket threads, which is always a welcome sight.

 

[Runner77]

Just tuned into the game, only to see Belleville leading … 4-0?!?

The Rocket always struggle against this team, it seems to me.

We have roughly 6 minutes left in the 2nd with Belleville leading in shots 25-16.

 

[Runner77]

Galipeau hitting Crookshsnk into the stanchion leading to a melee. The hit was not unlike the one Pacioretty suffered except that in this case, the stanchion has been rounded off — a safety feature begotten from the Pacioretty incident.

Crookshank who had been injured most of last season, immediately lost his head and had to be contained while his teammates fought and got physical on his behalf. Belleville took their retribution too far, which has led to a Laval PP. Laval will start the 3rd with about half of that PP time available.

Laval picked up the pace and played physical from the second half of the 2nd period. Score remains 4-0 however Belleville’s lead in shots was narrowed, 25-21.

Third period might feature fireworks.

 

[schwang26]

I can't believe how they always play so poorly against these guys. They're a joke. Same thing every time. Belleville capitalizes on their chances, and their goalie shuts Laval down.

 

[Runner77]

Why are all Franco broadcasters always referring to the Rocket as « la troupe de JF Houle »?

As I was writing this, Bruno Gervais who is on RDS now providing analysis, said it twice within seconds. I was listening to Anthony Marcotte earlier on the radio, and yes, there was the « troupe » again.

When I tuned to the game earlier on RDS, Stéphane Leroux was doing the play by play. Not even 2 minutes after I tuned in, him too resorted to, you guessed it, the “troupe”.

And now, in the above tweet, there goes Anthony Marcotte with the “troupe”.

What is this obsession with the “troupe”?

It sounds like they’re referring to a band of jolly, travelling troubadours.

Can’t they also use other designations? All of them with their “troupe” obsession are part of a large comical “troupeau” that has fallen prey to one of the most overused cliches in the hockey broadcasting industry.

Get your drinks ready, you’ll hear it again.

 

[Runner77]

A back to back PP for the Rocket.

Fail on the first one.

On this one, with 11:23 to go to the game, Houle has pulled his goalie. Why not, nothing has worked so far.

Houle’s strategy works, Trudeau scores on the PP! 9:26 to go in the 3rd.

Lots of fireworks, pushing and shoving, further to Dubé hitting Crookshank in the face with his stick. Simoneau also gets involved. This leads to 2 concurrent Rocket penalties, so a Belleville 5 on 3 PP for 2 minutes, with roughly 9 minutes left in the 3rd.

 

[Team_Spirit]

*Frenchy things*

La troupe a JF Houle
La bande a Sidney
La passe a l'aveuglette

 

[Runner77]

*Frenchy things*

La troupe a JF Houle
La bande a Sidney
La passe a l'aveuglette

Le circuit Bettman, lol.

 

[Runner77]

Belleville scored on their 5 on 3 PP, score now 5-1.

Rocket on a PP now, with 4 minutes to go in the 3rd. Rocket clawed back on the shot totals, leading them 36-35.

Rocket struggling on the PP, with only 1 goal scored in their last 15 PP opportunities.

More pushing, shoving and another fight!

With this game a foregone conclusion, Belleville will have won 9 of their 12 games vs. La Troupe this season.

Over 80 minutes in penalties this game!

And of course, the RDS color guy recapping the game, immediately resorts to the “troupe”!

 

[Runner77]

This the first regulation loss at home for the Troupe, since Nov. 23rd.

Sens win it, 5-1.

And now, the Troupe will don their medieval costumes, take out their mandolins, harps, fiddles and tambourines and perform drinking ditties for the dubious pleasure of one and all!

 

[Runner77]

Hear Ye, hear Ye!