The Laval Rocket’s great adventure in the American Hockey League playoffs ended Wednesday night following a 4-0 loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds in the seventh and decisive game of the final of the Eastern Association.
Forty-eight hours after earning a convincing 5-1 victory over the Thunderbirds rink to force a final duel, Jean-François Houle’s men were never really in the game on Wednesday, and everything especially during the first two periods.
Had it not been for the work of young Cayden Primeau in front of the Laval net during those 40 minutes, the defeat would have been even more scathing.
Primeau, who entered Wednesday’s game with a 2.21 goals-against average and .935 save percentage since the start of the playoffs, faced 39 shots. After the first 40 minutes of play, he had already received 35 shots, four more than the Thunderbirds had had Monday night in Game 6.
Matthew Peca, in the first period, Dakota Joshua and Nathan Todd, both in the second period, managed to deceive his vigilance.
Joshua added a second goal into an empty net with about 40 seconds left in the third period.
Both Peca’s and Todd’s goals came on the powerplay, something the Thunderbirds had failed to accomplish in their previous 29 series-start attempts against the Rocket.
Limited to 21 shots during the first two periods, the Rocket players showed more bite in the third period.
Facing former teammate Charlie Lindgren, they added 13 in the final 20 minutes but were unable to move the ropes. And this, even if Jean-François Houle withdrew Primeau in favor of a sixth attacker with just over six minutes to play in the third period.
Lindgren made his best save of the night ahead of Danick Martel with just over 14 minutes left in the third period.
After an effective forecheck by Jean-Sébastien Dea deep in the opposing zone, Lucas Condotta was able to recover the puck and make a cross pass to Martel who found himself in front of an empty net, to the right of Lindgren. However, the former Montreal Canadiens goaltender released his right hand to deny Martel what appeared to be a sure goal.
With their win, the Thunderbirds joined the Chicago Wolves in the Grand Finals. The first two games are Sunday afternoon and Monday night in Illinois.