(Laval) We don’t really know if Danick Martel collects caps, but Sunday night, he was spoiled for choice.
Updated yesterday at 11:42 p.m.
He could have taken a white, a red or a blue, so many varieties that ended up on the ice at Place Bell in the middle of the second period, when the Rocket forward scored his third goal of the game.
We call that a great Sunday night, and it was powered by this performance by Martel that the Rocket were able to win the first game of this series against the Rochester Americans, by a score of 6-1.
There are times when the score does not indicate the pace of the meeting, but in the case which concerns us, it indicates it very well. The Rocket, backed by 10,043 very vocal fans, quickly set their pace, and visiting Rochester struggled to follow, even though they scored the opening goal.
PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Danick Martel
Danick Martel couldn’t have hoped for a better night, ending the game with a big total of four goals.
“The last time I did that, it must go back to my pee-wee or atom years,” said the Quebec player at the end of the match. I usually get a hat trick a year, but I didn’t do that this season… so it happened [dimanche soir] And it feels good ! »
Martel wasted no time. After the first goal of the match, that of the visitors and JJ Peterka, he managed a first goal, then a second. He left the Rocket’s third goal to Cédric Paquette – who completed a play full of poetry by Rafaël Harvey-Pinard – and confirmed his hat trick at 11: 23 of the second period, which caused this deluge of caps in Laval, where people used to reserve the deluges of caps in the Fuzzy parking lot after a show-tribute to Our Lady Peace.
But Martel didn’t have enough three goals, and he added a fourth on the power play in the third period. This time, the fans were content to throw two caps on the ice.
“Of course it’s emotional and it’s fun, because it doesn’t happen often,” he added. The puck followed me all evening; I had other chances to score afterwards and I preferred to pass the puck so as not to look selfish! »
There was emotion in the carpet, and I have difficulty finding the words… The atmosphere was incredible.
Danick Martel
“Nothing could stop us”
Striker Rafaël Harvey-Pinard also noticed the same thing.
“We didn’t get the start we wanted, and they took the lead, but we played our style of play and ended up coming back to our identity,” he said. We were in front of the best fans in the league, and it’s always fun to play in front of them. Besides, I’m happy for Danick, who is a good friend. In the evening, it was coming back for him… ”
PHOTO DENIS GERMAIN, SPECIAL COLLABORATION
Cayden Primeau
In net for the Rocket, goaltender Cayden Primeau looked great again. This time he made 28 saves on 29 shots.
It was a very emotional match. In the series, you have to be ready for anything; we started off a little slow, but when we got going, there was nothing that could stop us.
Cayden Primeau
In goal for the visit, Aaron Dell had to give up his net to Michael Houser after the fourth goal.
The match ended in a bit of a tumult and a ruckus, as some members of the Rochester club tried to harass the locals, including a certain Nick Boka, who started running around on the ice like someone one with very bad intentions.
“This guy played every two appearances towards the end, so you definitely have to pay attention to that,” explained coach Jean-François Houle. It is the job of the referees to manage this well. It’s unfortunate, but it’s part of the playoffs…”
No doubt, the fire is already taken. The continuation Monday evening at the same place, for game number two of the series.