(Rochester) Mason Jobst recorded a hat trick and the Rochester Americans defeated the Laval Rocket 7-4 on Friday night at Blue Cross Arena.
Jobst scored two goals in a row in the first period to give his team momentum and sealed the outcome of the game with an empty net in the third period.
Brandon Biro and Lukas Rousek both had a goal and an assist for the Americans (4-1-1), who avenged their loss suffered in Laval last week. Isak Rosen and Matthew Savoie added a goal each in the victory while Kale Clague collected three assists.
Devin Cooley resisted several times while the Americans played with a man less and he finished the clash with 36 saves.
Lias Andersson scored twice for the Rocket (1-4-1), who have the worst defense in the American Hockey League. Mattias Norlinder and Logan Mailloux also scored in a losing cause.
Young Jacob Dobes had an up-and-down game, dropping six times in 39 shots.
The Rocket will face the Syracuse Crunch on Saturday evening.
The defense folds again
The Rocket quickly got an opportunity to open the scoring when Brett Murray was caught in enemy territory.
The Laval squad had difficulty settling near the Americans’ net and Xavier Simoneau committed a turnover at his blue line. Rousek managed to resist Norlinder’s clash and beat Dobes.
Norlinder recovered well less than two minutes later. The young defenseman made fun of Michael Mersch and fired a shot that hit Jobst’s stick before fooling Cooley.
Jean-François Houle’s men took the lead midway through the first period through Mailloux. His wrist shot from the point slipped behind the opposing goalkeeper.
The home team, however, responded in the best way possible. On the right flank, Jobst went around Norlinder and came back in front to thread the needle. Just 53 seconds later, on the power play, Jobst’s floating shot ended its swing in the back of the net.
The Rocket started the second period on the right foot and tied the game in the 30th.e second of play. Mitchell Stephens’ shot hit Cooley’s helmet before hitting the bay window behind him. The puck came back in front and was touched by Andersson, who was braking in the semi-circle. After review, the goal was awarded.
The special teams once again helped the Americans’ cause, at 9:54. While Jayden Struble was sitting in the penalty box, Biro took advantage of the space in front of him to place the puck in the top corner, over Dobes’ mitt.
The Americans were also able to score at even strength. Clague’s point shot was redirected into the net by Rosen, who had just left his bench.
The visitors missed two power play opportunities, late in the second period and early in the final third, and they paid the price when Savoie beat Dobes between the pads.