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- calendar_today November 8, 2026
Rocket Rebound with High-Scoring Victory at Place Bell
The Laval Rocket bounced back in style on Friday night at Place Bell, delivering a commanding 6-2 win over the Cleveland Monsters. Coming off a narrow overtime loss to Lehigh Valley, the Rocket aimed to reestablish momentum in the Atlantic Division, facing former teammate Luke Tuch and a determined Cleveland squad.
Early Momentum and Strong Start for Laval
Laval wasted little time asserting control. Just over two and a half minutes in, Cleveland's Roman Ahcan was penalized for tripping. The Rocket's top power play unit applied immediate pressure but couldn't find the net against Cleveland goaltender Pheonix Copley during the advantage. Despite missing out on an early power play goal, Laval's offensive pressure persisted, culminating in Josh Nadeau’s third goal of the season after a well-executed sequence involving David Reinbacher, Braden Haché, and Hunter McKown.
Power Play Successes and Key Penalties
The Rocket soon capitalized on another special teams opportunity when Jordan Dumais took a holding penalty. It took only 19 seconds for Laurent Dauphin to convert, walking out from behind the net and scoring his third of the season to put the Rocket ahead 2-0. Excellent defense limited Cleveland to just seven shots in the first period as Laval took a two-goal lead into intermission.
Cleveland's Push and Rocket’s Quick Response
Cleveland struck early in the second, with Luca Pinelli narrowing the gap following a Laval turnover. The Rocket quickly regained control, as Dillan Bentley made up for his earlier mistake by scoring on an athletic net-front chance, restoring a 3-1 Laval advantage. Despite missed opportunities with the man advantage, Laval's attack didn't slow; however, a quick Monster response saw Owen Sillinger cut the deficit to a single goal once more.
Showstopping Goals and Rising Tensions
The second period ended with a highlight-reel effort by Hunter McKown, who scored a spectacular between-the-legs goal against his former team, assisted by Josh Nadeau. This put Laval up 4-2 heading into the third. The teams exchanged physical play and penalties, including a double-minor against Owen Protz and a scuffle between Owen Sillinger and Protz, leading to a lengthy Cleveland power play that the Rocket successfully killed.
Brett Berard’s Surge Seals the Win
Brett Berard added insurance with a pair of third-period goals, the first a precision shot to the top corner and the second capitalizing on his own rebound. Goaltender Kaapo Kähkönen stood tall in net throughout, especially during Cleveland’s extended late power play, ensuring the Rocket’s decisive victory in front of the home crowd at Place Bell.
Looking Ahead
The heated matchup sets the stage for another encounter between the Laval Rocket and Cleveland Monsters, who meet again at Place Bell on Saturday, with puck drop scheduled for 3pm ET.
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Source: habseyesontheprize.com.
