Slow, Laval Rocket had to work hard to equalize the game on Tuesday in Syracuse. The match was worth it as he beat Crunch 3-2 in overtime in the fifth and final game of his second-round series.
After Cedric Beckett revived the Montreal Canadiens club’s hopes of the school just 39 seconds from the final whistle in the third inning, Gabriel Burke put an end to hostilities in the overtime period.
Jean-Francois Houle’s team will now face the series winners between Utica Comets and American Rochester in the Northern Division Final. The two teams are scheduled to meet on Thursday in the fifth match of this series.
bad start
A daring pass from Jean-Sebastien Dea on strong play was the source of the game’s first goal. Anticipating the play, Anthony Richard intercepted the disc and drove single-handedly toward Cayden Primo, who beat him with a fake.
Richard, one of the many Quebec players at the Tampa Bay Lightning Club, appears to have enjoyed playing against a team from his home province. He was Crunch’s top scorer with four goals in five matches.
Then a lucky jump saw the home favorites double their lead in the second half. When Primo cut a pass, the ball bounced off Ryan Jones’ chest before ending up in the back of the net.
Alex Blezile, in the power game, then closes the gap by converting a shot from Louie Belpedio. Like Richard on the other side, he has four goals in the series.
Primo was brilliant and made 32 saves. He has only conceded 10 goals in four games in this series. Quebec player Maxime Lagasse has nothing to be ashamed of in the loss, it was he who was the target with 36 shots.
