Lukas Rousek played the hero in overtime and the Rochester Americans defeated the Laval Rocket 2-1 on Wednesday night at Place Bell.
After a very long offensive sequence in Rocket territory (12-2-1), the Americans (8-5-2) saw their opponents attempt an attack of their own, but Logan Mailloux committed a turnover at the blue line . Rousek took the opportunity to escape and beat Jakub Dobes between the pads.
This is a little revenge on the part of the Americans, who suffered two losses at home at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens’ farm club last week.
Florian Xhekaj hit the mark for Laval, who suffered a first defeat in front of their fans this season. Dobes made 37 saves, including several very good ones, but it was insufficient.
Rafaël Harvey-Pinard played a first game this season, after being loaned by the Habs on Tuesday morning. The 25-year-old forward fractured his right leg in July and underwent surgery that kept him out of action.
Brett Murray also scored for Mike Leone’s side, who ended their four-game losing streak. Recently demoted to the American Hockey League, Devon Levi had a very good first game allowing only one goal on 26 shots.
The Rocket will return to action Friday evening, when the Belleville Senators will be in Laval for the first duel of a short home-and-away series.
Very tight
Head coach Pascal Vincent expected a good start to the game from the Americans, but it was his men who got the first scoring opportunities.
Brandon Gignac first tried to reach Joshua Roy at the mouth of the net, but the puck went over the blade of his stick. Then, a few minutes later, Sean Farrell was forgotten in the slot, but his shot hit the post to Levi’s right.
Farrell believed for many minutes that he had just opened the scoring, when he pushed a free disc into the back of the net, halfway in the first period. An endless referee review, combined with technical problems, ultimately showed that Jared Davidson had interfered with Levi’s work.
This disallowed goal did not shake the Rocket, who recovered well to score the first of the match, despite a numerical disadvantage. Xavier Simoneau intercepted a zone entry from the Americans and sent Xhekaj on a breakaway. The latter placed the disc in the top corner for his third goal of the campaign.
The celebrations lasted only 45 seconds. Still on the power play, the visitors responded when Murray’s pass hit William Trudeau’s right skate before beating Dobes.
Laval took a while to get going in the second period and the Rochester squad tested Dobes on several occasions. The big Czech, however, managed to close the door to allow his teammates to find their rhythm.
During a frenzied sequence, Vincent Arseneau, Trudeau, Gustav Lindstrom and Harvey-Pinard all had the opportunity to break the tie before the Rocket deployed a two-player numerical advantage for one minute and thirty seconds. This time, it was Levi who didn’t give anything.
The two goalkeepers continued to put their mark on this match by standing out spectacularly in front of a player left free in front of the net.
At the end of the second period, Anton Wahlberg accepted Konsta Helenius’ pass, but Dobes released his left pad. At the start of the final period, Levi used the same piece of equipment to frustrate Xhekaj, who had just received a handover from Roy.
Neither team was able to take the lead before the end of regulation, setting the table for Rousek’s overtime goal.
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