Rocket arrive in Calgary with early-season momentum
The Laval Rocket will take a 7-2-0-0 record into Thursday night’s American Hockey League meeting with the Calgary Wranglers, giving the club 14 points after nine games. The teams will meet at Scotiabank Saddledome, with the game scheduled for 7 p.m. MDT.
Laval’s start has been built on a productive attack and comparatively tight defending. The Rocket are averaging 3.9 goals per game while allowing 1.8, according to the game preview. Calgary enters the contest at 5-5-0-0, with 10 points, and has conceded 3.2 goals per game while scoring 3.3.
The Rocket’s most recent series ended with one win and one loss. Laval opened the weekend by beating the Hammers 4-2 on Friday, then dropped the rematch 2-1 on Saturday. That split leaves the club looking to establish another winning stretch during a two-game visit to Calgary.
Calgary seeking a response after three losses
The Wranglers will enter Thursday’s game trying to halt a three-game slide. Calgary lost both of its weekend games against the Canucks, falling 3-1 on Saturday and 4-2 on Sunday. The results have pushed the Wranglers to an even record, creating a matchup between a Laval side near the top of its early-season form and a Calgary team attempting to regain consistency.
The offensive matchup will feature several players who have already made an impact. Laval defenceman Luke Mittelstadt leads the Rocket in points, with 15, and assists, with 11. Forward Sasha Pastujov has scored a team-high six goals, while Maksymilian Szuber owns Laval’s best plus-minus rating at plus-seven.
| Team | Record | Points | Goals per game | Goals allowed per game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laval Rocket | 7-2-0-0 | 14 | 3.9 | 1.8 |
| Calgary Wranglers | 5-5-0-0 | 10 | 3.3 | 3.2 |
Projected lineup and players to watch
The projected Laval lines place Pastujov, Alex Dauphin and Belzile together, with Berard, McKown and Mesar forming another forward unit. Simoneau, Bentley and Thorpe are listed as a third line, while Mianscum, Davidson and Nadeau round out the projected forward group.
On defence, Mittelstadt is projected to play alongside Reinbacher. Hache and Walsh, as well as Protz and Szuber, make up the other listed defensive pairings. Kahkonen is the projected starter, with Mandolese also listed among Laval’s goaltenders.
- Luke Mittelstadt: team leader in points and assists with 15 points and 11 assists.
- Sasha Pastujov: Laval’s leading goal scorer with six.
- Maksymilian Szuber: team-best plus-seven rating.
- William Stromgren: Calgary’s points leader with 10.
- Rory Kerins: leads the active Wranglers roster with five goals.
Calgary’s William Stromgren leads his team in points with 10, while he and Dryden Hunt share the club lead in assists with eight each. Kerins has five goals, and Luke Philp has Calgary’s strongest plus-minus figure at plus-six.
Two games remain in Calgary visit
Thursday’s contest is the first of two scheduled meetings between the clubs in Calgary. The Rocket are due back at the Saddledome on Oct. 31, when the two teams are scheduled to meet again. Thursday’s game will be available on FLO Sports, according to the preview.
