Syracuse Blanks the Laval Rocket 3-0, Sending the Series to a Decisive Game 5 in New York
An unfortunate result for the Laval Rocket, who were unable to get on the board in a 3-0 loss to the Syracuse Crunch. This sets up a winner-take-all Game 5, which will take place on Tuesday May 17th at 7:00PM EST. The match will take place at Upstate Medical University Arena in Syracuse, New York.
The Rocket were never able to get their footing in this one, as Syracuse was able to bounce back from their previous loss on Thursday. Action got started early, as the Crunch were able to score in just under six minutes. Forward Cole Koepke recorded the first goal, which was assisted by Trois-Rivières native Anthony Richard.
Shortly after, Syracuse starting goaltender and fellow Quebec native Max Lagace left the game early on with an injury, being replaced by Swedish backup Hugo Alnefelt. Credit where credit is due, Alnefelt played a sensational game in relief of Lagace, shutting out the Rocket and amassing twenty-three saves of his own.
The second period was a standstill, with neither team able to come up with a goal. This was a significantly better period for the Rocket, with goaltender Cayden Primeau winning over the crowd with his play. He has proved to be invaluable for this Laval squad, and has quickly become a fan favoruite among the Rocket faithful.
However, the third and final period did not go as hoped for the Laval Rocket. A very controversial roughing call against forward Cedric Paquette came in the early stages of the period. This made way for a power play goal from Crunch forward Remi Elie, who scored his third of the series. This was followed shortly after by Anthony Richard, who contributed a goal of his own. This put Syracuse firmly in the driver’s seat, giving them a three goal advantage. This would ultimately be the final score of the game, with the Rocket failing to contribute to the score sheet. .
Things aren’t all bad for the Rocket however, despite the loss. A close back and forth game was never out of reach for them, as they continued to play hard throughout the contest. They were quite strong defensively, and never backed down from any physicality. Cayden Primeau earned third star of the game after saving 34 of 37 shots, while Syracuse forwards Anthony Richard (1 Goal and 1 Assist) and Cole Koepke (1 Goal) received 1st and 2nd, respectively.
The matchup now makes its way back to New York, where the meeting this upcoming Tuesday will be the determining game in the series. Facing a hostile crowd, Laval will look to advance to the Northern division Finals, and play the series winner of the Rochester Americans and the Utica Comets. The final game between the Laval Rocket and the Syracuse Crunch comes Tuesday May 17th at 7:00PM EST, at Upstate Medical University Arena in Syracuse.
