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Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)

Habs News: NHL, Montreal Canadiens, Frederic Allard, Laval Rocket, Trois-Rivieres Lions

Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Jeff Bottari/NHLI via Getty Images)

ROCKET SPORTS MEDIA | LAVAL, QC. — The Montreal Canadiens concluded their four-game west coast road trip on Sunday in Vegas. The Golden Knights had a 4-1 lead with 12 minutes remaining before the Canadiens made it a game.

Alex Belzile and Rafael Harvey-Pinard scored 35 seconds apart to close the gap to one goal. Montreal was not able to add another goal before the final buzzer as Vegas went on to win 4-3. 

“We had a bad start. We were flat in the first period. It happens. I liked how we finished the second period and it carried over to the third. We made it a game,” Martin St. Louis said.

The Rocket call ups had a positive impact on the game. In addition to the goals scored by Belzile and Harvey-Pinard, Jesse Ylonen was promoted to the top line during the game and contributed with the setup for Harvey-Pinard’s goal.

The Canadiens returned home with two of the possible eight points available in the standings.

“We were always in the games. I’m happy with the effort that the guys gave. We can build on that,” David Savard evaluated the trip. The three losses in the trip were one-goal games.

Allard Makes Habs Debut

It was an emotional weekend for the Canadiens deadline acquisition Frederic Allard. Allard was having breakfast in San Jose with former Rocket defenceman Tobie Paquette-Bisson when he received the call from the Kings informing him that he was traded to the Montreal Canadiens.

He planned on taking a flight with his girlfriend on Saturday morning and make it on time at Place Bell for the Rocket’s game that evening. They had to scratch that plan when the flight was sold out. The couple made new plans to take a Sunday flight to Quebec.

Meanwhile in Anaheim, Kaiden Guhle appeared to have pain on his left shoulder in the final moments of the first period following a contact with Maxime Comtois. Guhle finished the game but was ruled out for Sunday’s game in Vegas.

With Allard still in California, the Canadiens recalled their newest acquisition to join the squad. Justin Barron was also not available in Vegas due to injury, which opened the door for Allard to make his Canadiens debut.

The 25-year old was paired with Joel Edmundson for his debut and took two shots on goal in 11:32 of ice time. St. Louis was happy with the defenceman’s debut.

“It’s indescribable. When I got here, I had tears in my eyes. Wearing the Canadiens uniform is my dream,” Allard said following the game. He credited Edmundson, Savard, Belzile and Jonathan Drouin in helping him feel comfortable.

Allard trains in the summer with Belzile and Savard and he is close friends with Rocket forward Anthony Richard. The two were teammates in the Predators organization and text each other on a daily basis.

Rocket Come from Behind

The Laval Rocket hosted the Rochester Americans on Friday at Place Bell. Rochester outplayed Laval in the first half of the game and took a 3-0 lead. Momentum turned around midway through the game and mounted a comeback by scoring tying the game with 1:41 remaining in regulation. Laval came out with the 4-3 win when Anthony Richard scored 2:53 into overtime.

“I think when you have a lead like 3-0, you sit back, you get on your heels and then the other team becomes an aggressor. We were the aggressors in the second half of the game,” Jean-Francois Houle explaned the momentum change. “We knew if we get one goal, they would start squeezing the stick and we can put pressure on them and it worked in our favour.”

The Rockford IceHogs visited Place Bell on Saturday for the first time since 2019. The IceHogs had a 1-0 lead in the final when Mitchell Stephens was clutch for a second consecutive night and tied it with 45 seconds remaining. Overtime did not settle a winner and it took 11 rounds of shootout for Rockford to come out victorious.

“We outshot the team. I thought our puck possession was better than theirs. I thought we were the better team on the ice but we lost. When you go into a shootout anything can happen. I thought our power play could be a little bit better. We have one of the good power plays in the league so 0-for-7 is not good enough for us. We had chances but it didn’t just go in,” Houle said.

The Rocket complete their homestand on Wednesday by hosting the Belleville Senators.  

Lions Finish Strong

The Trois-Rivieres Lions were in Reading to face the Royals in a three-game series over the weekend. Friday’s match was an offensive festival with the score tied 5-5 though 40 minutes. Reading took the edge in the third period when they added two power play goals to win 7-5.

Coach and general manager Marc-Andre Bergeron was not frustrated with the team’s performance. “It was a horror festival. I won’t go into too much detail. We are a team and we all make mistakes. We all need to look in the mirror once in a while. After this game, many of us have to do it, because, quite frankly, it was a horror festival. We had no reason to lose this game.”

The Royals dominated Saturday’s game taking a 3-0 lead before Lions got on the board with 1:01 remaining in the second period. Reading added two goals in the third to win 5-1, doubling Trois-Rivieres 38-19 in the shots column.

On Sunday, the Lions were trailing by two goals through 20 minutes when they struck back with three power play goals in 33 seconds to take the lead. Reading did not have time to get back into the game as Trois-Rivieres came out with the 6-4 victory.

“It was important for everyone to finish the trip well. It’s good for everyone. Friday’s game, we found a way to lose it, but we didn’t play a bad game. We had made bad decisions. It weighs heavily on a team when the victories are not there. So, to see the positive atmosphere on the bench on Sunday, with everyone dynamic, it makes me happy for everyone,” Bergeron said.

The Lions return home to face Reading on Wednesday at the Colisee Videotron.

(Quotes courtesy of Le Nouvelliste)

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By Chris G., Senior Writer
All Habs Hockey Magazine
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