(Toronto) Jared Davidson scored a double on the power play, Riley Kidney stood out with three assists and the Laval Rocket defeated the Toronto Marlies 3-1 on Thursday at the Coca-Cola Coliseum.

Nathan Légaré completed the scoring on the power play for the Rocket (1-0). Miguël Tourigny stood out with two assists, and Jan Mysak contributed one.

Jackson Berezowski responded for the Marlies (0-1).

Goalie Jakub Dobes made 13 saves in nearly 30 minutes of play in front of the Rocket net before giving way to Strauss Mann. The latter, a 25-year-old American goalie who was never drafted, however allowed a goal on the two shots aimed at him before the end of the second period. He finished the game with eight saves.

His opposite number, Dennis Hildeby, turned away 16 shots aimed at the Marlies cage in two periods of play. His teammate Luke Cavallin completed the match in front of the Toronto net.

The match started well for the team of head coach Jean-François Houle.

Légaré, acquired in the August 6 transaction which notably allowed the Canadian to obtain goaltender Casey DeSmith and defenseman Jeff Petry from the Pittsburgh Penguins, opened the scoring for the Rocket on a power play with 4:51 remaining in the first third party.

Davidson then doubled his team’s lead on the power play early in the second period. The Marlies, however, narrowed the gap to 2-1 with 9:03 remaining in the period, after Berezowski skillfully beat Mann on the power play.

Davidson gave the visitors a two-goal cushion again at 9:41 of the final period, and Laval then played tight defensively in the third period, paving the way to their victory.

The Rocket will play its second and final preseason game against the Belleville Senators, Sunday starting at 1 p.m., at Place Bell. The Canadiens’ farm club will then begin its regular season on October 13 at Place Bell against the Abbotsford Canucks.