(Abbotsford) The Laval Rocket had lost their last six games before facing the Abbotsford Canucks on Saturday. The latter had won seven of their last eight meetings.
Tristen Nielsen scored the decisive goal with 6:46 left in the third period to ensure neither trend would be broken, and the Canucks won 4-3.
Nielsen made the difference with a brilliant individual effort. After entering the zone, he beat defender William Trudeau with a nice feint before fooling goalkeeper Strauss Mann with a backhand shot.
Nikita Tolopilo blocked the Rocket’s final scoring chances in the final minutes, finishing the game with 28 saves. The Canucks defeated the Montreal Canadiens’ farm club for a second time in as many days and for a fourth time in as many duels this season.
Jean-François Houle’s squad thus concludes a journey of six games on the road without the slightest victory. Four of these games, however, were decided by a goal, including three in tiebreakers.
The Rocket will return to Place Bell on Wednesday to host the Belleville Senators.
Six of the seven goals in this match were scored in the first period. The Canucks led 3-1 after less than five minutes of play.
Captain Chase Wouters led the charge by scoring the first two goals for the home favorites, who took advantage of a double minor high-sticking penalty awarded to Olivier Galipeau just 14 seconds into the game.
However, it was Nathan Légaré who was the first player to hit the target. It was his third goal of the campaign, all coming shorthanded.
Wouters, however, tied the game just 16 seconds later. The rink was covered in stuffed animals as it was Teddy Bear Toss Day in Abbotsford. After a long interruption to clear the ice, Wouters gave his team the lead by sliding the puck near the post, to the left of Jakub Dobes.
John Stevens made the Canucks’ lead 3-1 13 seconds later. He has scored five goals this season, including four against the Rocket.
Houle then replaced Dobes with Mann. Dobes gave up three times on seven shots, while Mann was tested 20 times.
The decision bore fruit before the end of the first period as Emil Heineman and Xavier Simoneau brought the two clubs back to equal footing.
Heineman, who was only playing his fourth game this season, set up Simoneau’s goal. He has three in 2023-24 and 12 in 15 games in the American League.
We then had to wait until late in the third to see the goal that made the difference.
