The term “demoted” is often used when players move from the NHL to the American League. Yet the players who were “demoted” were once again at the heart of the Laval Rocket’s success.
Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, winner of the Molson Cup for the month of March with the Canadian, however, did not arrive looking crestfallen. Fans gave him the loudest cheers, his teammates offered him finishing touches, and he repaid them all with an unprecedented performance.
The small winger was instrumental in helping the Laval Rocket win five goals 6-3 over the all-important Toronto Marlies in the playoff race on Wednesday night at Place Bell. A first evening of the kind in career, he underlined.
After hitting the mark in his first game since being dropped from the AHL, Harvey-Pinard and his linemates have been driving the Rocket’s offense the past two games.
The trio he forms with Anthony Richard, author of a hat trick and two assists, and Mitchell Stephens, who scored twice, was at the center of all the good deeds of the Laval team against the Marlies.
“They made all the difference,” noted head coach Jean-Francois Houle of the first line. He also mentioned the importance of the return of a player like Harvey-Pinard for the team.
“It makes all the difference when you have quality players. HP, he’s only played 30 games with us this season. Same thing for Jesse Ylönen [insurance net scorer]. When players like that come back, it helps everyone on the ice,” he said of those who have spent a significant portion of the season with the Canadiens.
Anthony Richard, in front of a pile of caps, said he would have liked to play with Harvey-Pinard and Alex Belzile when the three of them were with the Canadian. If his wish has not been granted at the Habs, Richard and Harvey-Pinard get along like thieves at the Rocket.
“As soon as he cuts passes, he knows where I am. He always puts the puck in space and it’s magic for a scorer like me to receive these kinds of passes, Richard explained of Harvey-Pinard. He and Mitch are also very good defensively and that allows me to take more risks offensively. »
A handsome player, Harvey-Pinard preferred to give credit to his teammates for his productive night: “The guys figured out how to put it in the net and make their chances come true,” he said.
With this win, the Rocket increases the pressure on the Cleveland Monsters in the playoff race. The Columbus Blue Jackets farm club still has its destiny in its hands, but the pressure is on. If the Rocket wins its last game of the season against the Syracuse Crunch, the Monsters cannot escape a single point in their last three outings.
Incidentally, the victory of Jean-François Houle’s troops officially excluded the Belleville Senators from the race for the playoffs. It will therefore be a fight between the Monsters and the Rocket for the fifth and last rank giving access to the playoffs.
Playoff fever slowly took hold of Laval.
The Rocket have won seven of their last eight games; only a setback against the Monsters slowed him down in his quest to the playoffs. But on Wednesday night, fans believed it, regardless of the odds or the twisty course that got the club into this predicament where there is no room for error.
The atmosphere was so heated at Place Bell that the supporters even allowed themselves a wave during a power play. Yes, the same wave that is normally used to chase away boredom when the home team is not in on it; yet the show was there.
“We’re in playoff mode, but the fans are also in playoff mode,” Richard said of local support.
There is only one move left for the Rocket before knowing its fate. In fact, even if he plays his last game of the campaign on Friday, he may have to wait until Sunday to find out if he will make the playoffs.
“We’re going to focus on us and after that we’ll see for Friday,” said the Laval driver. The Crunch is going to be difficult to face. He doesn’t like us and he definitely wants us to miss the playoffs. »
After that ? Players can only cross their fingers and hope for a poor performance from the Monsters.
