(Laval) Xavier Parent scored his first hat trick in the American League and the Utica Comets defeated the Laval Rocket 4-1 on Wednesday evening at Place Bell.
After collecting six points in 14 games with the Comets last year, Parent is off to a good start to the season with eight points in six games. His two goals in 3:03 in the second period turned the game around.
Chase Stillman scored a goal and an assist for the Comets (2-2-2), who returned to winning ways. Topias Vilen participated in two of his team’s goals.
Isaac Poulter stood out especially in the first and third periods, finishing the game with 35 saves.
Jayden Struble scored his first career goal in the American League, but the Rocket (1-6-1) still suffered a fourth loss in a row.
Jakub Dobes seemed more comfortable in front of the Laval net, but he gave up three times in 24 shots.
It was the first duel between the two teams since last season’s playoffs. The Comets had swept the Rocket in two games.
Two goals that hurt
We were waiting for the Rocket’s reaction after being dominated during the weekend and he responded at the start of the match.
Joshua Roy and Riley Kidney notably knocked on the door during the first eight minutes of play, but Poulter stopped their attempt or the puck slipped near the goal line without crossing it.
Poulter also frustrated Roy during a breakaway before seeing Dobes make his best save at the expense of Stillman, during a two-on-one climb.
The Laval team had the opportunity to start the second period with the same confidence, but they failed to take advantage of it during a penalty to Tyler Wotherspoon. On the other hand, it seemed to energize the Comets.
After Dobes was unable to catch a shot with his glove, the visitors’ offense remained active. Topias Vilen sent the puck to the net and Parent jumped on the return to slip it between the post and Dobes’ right pad.
The Comets doubled their lead in similar fashion three minutes later. Vilen’s point shot hit a Rocket player’s stick before bouncing off Dobes. The return fell on the blade of Parent’s stick, who slipped the disc between the goalie’s pads.
Seeking to create momentum, Jean-François Houle’s men had two other opportunities on the power play, but the plays were often telegraphed.
Nothing to help the cause of the home team, the puck seemed to roll a little more in favor of their opponents. At the 66e second of the third period, the disc hit the side of Dobes’ net and it was not controlled by the Rocket. Kyle Criscuolo fired a point-blank shot and Stillman grabbed the return to thread the needle.
The Rocket was finally able to celebrate, two minutes and 29 seconds later. The work of Brandon Gignac and Xavier Simoneau served the cause of Struble, who fired a precise wrist shot over Poulter’s glove.
The Comets goalkeeper recovered a few minutes later by frustrating Nolan Yaremko. His team then managed to protect its lead and obtain victory.