(Laval) The attitude of the Laval Rocket is different when it has a good start to the match, when it takes the lead and when its veterans get involved. He proved it once again on Friday evening.
Brandon Gignac had a goal and two assists to guide the Rocket to a 4-1 victory over the Cleveland Monsters at Place Bell.
The first period against the Syracuse Crunch left head coach Jean-François Houle hungry on Wednesday evening, but his men managed to overcome it to get a point. Against the Monsters, the best team in the North section, they took steps not to get caught again.
The Laval residents quickly showed a high level of work in all three zones and they did not hesitate to send pucks to the net to take advantage of the slow start of their opponents. Their first two goals of the match, those of Logan Mailloux and Jared Davidson, were the reward.
“We had a better start than Wednesday and held the lead for a while. Sometimes, when you don’t play catch-up hockey, it helps, observed Houle. We were opportunistic about our opportunities. I liked our whole match and it’s good for morale when we are able to defend well. »
And when the Rocket’s leading scorer (24-24-8) gets going, it helps create a ripple effect.
Gignac had been a little quieter on offense since his return to the American League, collecting only one point in his last five games, but he was in all the fights against the Monsters (33-17-6) to experience a fifth three-point game this season.
Houle mentioned earlier this week that he hadn’t said anything special to him since he returned to Laval, but he admitted that it was probably his best game since his return.
“He was skating and he was involved in several plays tonight. It’s typical of Gignac. If he scores a goal, he gets a little fired up. For our team, when we see him play a game like that, it helps bring everyone together,” explained the head coach.
The players agree with Houle on this subject, but Gignac’s personality goes even beyond his production.
“Even when he’s not producing, he always has a smile and he makes jokes,” said William Trudeau, who concluded the clash with a goal and an assist. He’s a great person to have on your team and we’re lucky to have him with us. He is an excellent leader. »
The same can be said of captain Gabriel Bourque, who returned to action Friday evening, after an absence of almost a month. The 33-year-old veteran had a few scoring opportunities near the net and only lacked a little timing during the game.
“I think he played very well,” Houle insisted. He gives players energy, he is physical and he is vocal on the bench and in the locker room. It helps our entire team. »
During Bourque’s absence, the Rocket lost seven of their last 10 games, including the last three.
Goalkeeper Jakub Dobes also played an important role with 28 saves, including several fine ones. The Montreal Canadiens’ farm club maintained the pace in the race for the North Section playoffs, while the Toronto Marlies and the Rochester Americans, who are ahead of them in the standings, also won on Friday.
David Jiricek scored the Monsters’ only goal. Pavel Cajan gave up four times in 27 shots.
Furthermore, the Rocket’s new acquisition, Jacob Perreault, landed at Montreal-Trudeau airport during the game and he could be in uniform when the team faces the Monsters again on Saturday afternoon.
No more opportunism
The Laval team missed a few chances in the first minutes of the initial engagement, but they took advantage of a numerical advantage to take the lead. Well installed in front of the net, Xavier Simoneau obscured Cajan’s view, which allowed Mailloux to move the strings with a good wrist shot.
The Monsters slowly came to their senses and were more incisive in enemy territory. After James Malatesta was stopped by Dobes, following a turnover by Gignac, the visitors tied the game on a power play.
The puck moved well in the zone until Marcus Bjork made a pass to his left, towards Jiricek. The young 20-year-old defender fired a cannonball which gave Dobes no chance.
The Columbus Blue Jackets’ 2022 first-round pick, however, was a victim of his own misfortune, less than two minutes later. His turnaround led to a score and Davidson put the finishing touches on a play orchestrated by Riley Kidney.
The Cleveland squad buzzed early in the second period, but then offered some wild play. The Rocket took the opportunity to increase its lead with two goals.
Bjork first rushed a pass and committed a turnover in front of his goalkeeper, for the benefit of Gignac. The latter made a nice backhand feint to score. The work of Gignac and his linemates also paid off when Trudeau’s point shot weaved through traffic past Cajan and into the top corner.
The Monsters had two chances to close the gap on the power play, but Dobes and his teammates held on to confirm their victory.