(Cleveland) Jesse Ylönen and Nate Schnarr hit the target within 55 seconds in the third period and the Laval Rocket beat the Cleveland Monsters 4-2 on Saturday in an American Hockey League duel .
Posted yesterday at 10:24 p.m.
The Rocket are in the middle of a good streak, having collected a point in their last seven outings (6-0-1). Since March 18, the Rocket have posted an 11-2-3 record, which has allowed them to take control of the No. 2 spot in the North Division.
After a first twenty where the guards were little tested, Alex Belzile gave the lead to the Rocket at the start of the middle period. His one-timer shot from the center of the slot was set up by Gabriel Bourque and Tory Dello.
Tyler Angle replied almost a minute later for the Monsters.
On the power play, Ylönen gave the team the lead with a precise one-timer in the top of the net. Xavier Ouellet and Jean-Sébastien Dea were complicit.
A few moments later, Joël Teasdale headed straight for the net, being jostled as he passed. Schnarr took advantage of the rebound created by his teammate to thread the needle. Terrance Amorosa also got an assist on the streak.
Gabriel Bourque confirmed the victory for his team with an empty net goal with 1 minute 59 seconds left.
Angle then scored his second of the encounter, in a losing cause.
Kevin Poulin, who got his fourth straight start, blocked 30 shots. Cam Johnson made 26 saves in the loss.
Cédric Paquette returned to play for the Laval team. It is Brandon Gignac, ill, who lost his position in the workforce. His return was short-lived, however, as he was ejected from the game late in the first period after a skirmish.
The Monsters, already eliminated from the playoff portrait, faced the Laval team for the second time in a row. The Rocket beat them 6-0 on Thursday.
The Rocket return to action Monday in Belleville to face the Senators and complete a five-game road streak. Jean-François Houle’s squad has only six games left in the season before the playoffs, including three against the Toronto Marlies.