AHL: Rocket misses another chance to qualify for the playoffs

SYRACUSE, New York – Like the day before, Laval Rocket’s Joel Teasdale scored the first goal of the game before watching his side collapse and miss an opportunity to secure his berth in the playoffs.

Syracuse Crunch of Quebec dominated the ball and their Rocket fell 5-1 in front of them on Saturday in a duel in the American Hockey League.

Due to the loss, Rocket not only missed the opportunity to qualify for the playoffs, but also relinquished the second place in the Northern Division to the crisis.

Under the current standings, Crunch will face the Rocket in the first round of the playoffs and will have the home ice advantage for the best of five series.

The Rocket could qualify with a win considering US Rochester lost to the Cleveland Monsters earlier in the evening.

So it will wait for confirmation at least a few more days.

Fast forward, once again

Tisdale opened the scoring early in the first period when he raced towards the net and fired a shot at Maxime Lagasse. Crunch’s goalkeeper partially stopped the disc before seeing it slide slowly into the net.

Nate Schnard and Xavier Ole played a key role in the Tisdale goal.

The Crunch responded a few moments later, when Nick Perbix took advantage of a favorable puck jump on the official to appear single-handedly in front of Kayden Primo.

Then Benoît Groulx’s men took control of the game.

During a numerical advantage, three residents of Crunch Quebec join forces to make the red light shine. Thanks to the work of Alex Barré-Boulet and Charles Hudon, Gabriel Dumont found himself alone with the disc in his pocket. His shot, upon reception, did not leave a chance for Premio.

With his help, Barré-Boulet reached a 60-point plateau in a single season in the AHL for the second time in his career.

Riley Nash cared to complete the task by scoring late in the second and in the third. Trevlovian Anthony Richard got the assist in Nash’s second goal.

Dumont took advantage of the empty net against the school club in its previous squad to score his 29th goal in the campaign.

Primo saved 34 balls in the loss.

Lagacé held 19 shots to sign the 21 victory this season (21-9-2). Longueuillois have won their last six matches.

Jean-Francois Houle’s side will return to action on Wednesday at Place Belle to face the Toronto Marlies on the first of two evenings between the teams at Laval. The Rockets then wrap up their season on Saturday in Syracuse against Crunch.