“It’s really special what’s happening with the Rocket this year. »
Posted at 4:54 p.m.
Crowds at Place Bell. The atmosphere. And playoff success, finally. So many reasons that make the players of the club-school of the Canadian happy, which will begin the final of the East of the American League on Saturday against the Thunderbirds of Springfield, Massachusetts.
Starting with Alex Belzile.
“It’s very pleasant,” he commented after the Rocket practice in Laval on Monday. It’s my fourth year here, but it’s the first time we’ve really had the chance to make the playoffs. »
The center player, who calls himself “very Quebecois, from Bas-du-Fleuve”, also notes how pleasant it is to play in front of knowledgeable supporters of his sport.
“They know hockey,” he says, smiling in front of the media. They celebrate at the right times. They know what is going on. You know, sometimes we go somewhere else, and there are crowds where it’s a little different. We are truly privileged. »
Place Bell, with its 10,062 seats, became a bubbling hockey pot this spring. Three of the four playoff home games have been sold out. And already, all the tickets for the three consecutive meetings scheduled for Laval in this four-of-seven series have gone like hot cakes. Put on sale Friday noon, there were none left from 9:30 p.m. on Saturday.
PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, ARCHIVES SPECIAL COLLABORATION
The atmosphere is boosted at Place Bell these days.
This excitement can be a definite advantage in the American League, according to Belzile.
“For some clubs it’s impressive to play against big crowds. The first game against Rochester at home, they were a little shocked at how loud it was. It was impressive, all in white. […] That makes all the difference. »
Winger Danick Martel “feels the emotion everywhere”.
“Even my neighbors came to see me yesterday,” he says in his always playful tone. They congratulated us, they follow us. These are not people who necessarily follow hockey usually, but there, they support the city team, a team near their home. »
Be careful not to get too carried away, however, warns head coach Jean-François Houle.
“It’s important to manage our emotions,” he says. Especially when the crowd gets on board. You don’t have to be undisciplined. We have to stay down to earth after a victory or a big goal. Regroup if you get a goal early. »
Rest before a “good series”
The Rocket skated vigorously Monday morning on the ice at Place Bell. Four days of rest require, after the three-game sweep against the Rochester Americans.
“I loved our practice,” Houle said. It wasn’t long, but the guys were sharp and intense. »
If the leave allowed the players “to recover a little, to take a step back”, according to the head coach, some were starting to find the time long.
In the playoffs, four days is a long time to wait. It felt good to come back to the game, to skate a little, to start having fun again to focus on the next game coming up on Saturday.
Danick Martel
And precisely, how do you prepare to face a team that finished third in the Eastern standings, two positions ahead of the Rocket?
“We are quite similar,” says Houle. They have high talent players who have experience. What is different from Rochester: they had a lot of talented players, but without experience. »
He names veterans like James Neal, Sam Anas and Tommy Cross
“We have Jean-Sébastien Dea, Alex Belzile, Xavier Ouellet. It’s really similar. It will be a good series, with two good teams playing against each other. […] On video, it’s a good offensive power. »
PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, ARCHIVES SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Xavier Ouellet
Martel talks about “depth” and the value of good third and fourth lines.
“They are the ones who will win the matches,” he underlines. “It can change a game. »
On the subject of experience, Belzile speaks more of the management of “emotions”. Useful especially for the third period of overtime played in the third game against Rochester.
“That’s what makes the biggest difference,” he explains. We were very calm. We kept our spirits up, we kept ourselves awake. »
The Thunderbirds swept their previous two opponents. Does the Rocket enter this series as an underdog?
“If you attack a series thinking that you are neglected, you will never win, launches Martel. In my head, there is no chance that we are neglected in this series. »
NEXT MATCHES:
Rocket v. Thunderbirds
Saturday (7:35 p.m.) at Springfield
Sunday (5:05 p.m.) at Springfield