There’s no doubt Florian Xhekaj plays a valuable role on the Laval Rocket.
The rookie centre was a pleasant surprise this season, scoring 24 goals and 35 points in 69 games. And at 6-foot-4 and 204 pounds, Xhekaj brings a much-needed physical presence to the team. Indeed, he accumulated a team-leading 175 penalty minutes — an almost absurd total.
But at 20 years old, there remains many lessons for Xhekaj to learn in what he hopes will be an ascendancy to the NHL Canadiens, where he would potentially join older brother Arber Xhekaj, a Montreal defenceman.
One of those lessons undoubtedly revolves around discipline — or the lack thereof.
Whether it was justified or not, Xhekaj took a third-period goalie interference minor against Rochester’s Devon Levi on Friday night. And while he was penalized, Jiri Kulich scored the winning goal, with less than eight minutes remaining in regulation time, as the Americans defeated the Rocket 5-3 at Blue Cross Arena before 9,126 spectators.
Xhekaj also was penalized for roughing in the first period, again for getting too close to Levi, the Dollard-des-Ormeaux native.
Rochester’s victory evened the best-of-five North Division final 1-1. And while Laval accomplished its mission by earning a split in the opening two games on the road, it will be interesting to see what direction the series takes when it reverts to Place Bell next week.
While the Rocket retains home-ice advantage, there now is a five-day break before Wednesday night’s third game. Any momentum the Americans might have gained with this win could prove moot during that respite. The fourth game will be played Friday night and, if a fifth match is necessary, that goes on May 25.
It’s a bizarre scenario to say the least, but that’s life in the AHL.
Isak Rosén paced Rochester with two goals — the last coming into an empty net — along with an assist. Kale Clague and Lukas Rousek also scored.
Clague, a former Canadiens defenceman, has now scored five goals in five playoff games while adding four assists. Kulich, selected 28th overall in 2022, and Rosen, picked 14th overall in 2021, are among five former Buffalo Sabres first-round draft choices on the Americans’ roster.
Laurent Dauphin, captain Lucas Condotta and Jared Davidson scored for Laval, which squandered a 3-2 second-period lead. But Rousek’s goal, coming in the final minute of the middle frame, altered the game’s momentum. The Americans scored the game’s final three goals.
As expected, Rocket head coach Pascal Vincent altered his goaltenders, electing to start Jacob Fowler after Cayden Primeau was the winning netminder last Wednesday.
While Fowler, who joined the Rocket late in the season from Boston College, lost for the first time in four playoff games, he faced 36 shots and kept Laval in the game over the opening period with several brilliant saves.
While Rochester outscored Laval 2-1 in the period, the deficit would have been greater were it not for Fowler, who made a brilliant stop on captain Mason Jobst in front while the Americans were on the power play. Fowler also denied Rosen’s breakaway while Rochester was shorthanded. He also thwarted Tyson Kozak following an Adam Engstrom turnover.
The Rocket failed to capitalize on four manpower advantages — after scoring twice on the power play in Wednesday’s victory — while the Americans went 2-for-4 with the man-advantage. Laval also generated only 19 shots against Levi and must do a better job of creating havoc in front of him, without actually interfering with him.
An injury to diminutive forward Xavier Simoneau forced Vincent to slightly alter his lineup. Luke Tuch, 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, made his series debut. He started on the fourth line, with Xhekaj and Davidson, before moving to the third line, with Condotta and Rafael Harvey-Pinard.
Tuch not only jostled with Levi early in the game, the two players exchanging stick work, he also assisted on Condotta’s second-period goal.
While Dauphin scored his team-leading fourth playoff goal in six games, some of his teammates could be criticized for not producing enough offence.
While Joshua Roy has three assists in six games, he’s still seeking his first playoff goal. Harvey-Pinard has two assists in six games — the same total as Xhekaj.
Vincent must also decide before Wednesday whether he wants to revert back to Primeau. And while the Rocket finished first overall in the AHL, and retains home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs, the pressure now reverts to Laval in what has become the pivotal next game.
