The series between the Laval Rocket and the Springfield Thunderbirds is well established. Tonight, with Place Bell filled to capacity, Jean-François Houle’s men will have to avoid an old trap.
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Rocket players will have to deal with their emotions during the game. Even if they are pumped up, they will have to put their energies in the right situations. A bad punishment could be costly with the visitors’ offensive power.
Besides, discipline has been one of the Rocket’s shortcomings this season.
“Throughout the year, we had several different experiences, explained Jean-François Houle. To excel in the playoffs, you have to learn from what happened during the whole year.
“At the start of the season, we took bad punishments. It took us a long time to stop doing that. We had to put guys in the stands to break this bad habit. It hasn’t been easy.”
In the last game, the Rocket played with fire without getting burned. With a 4-2 lead, he received two penalties in the last ten minutes.
“You can’t do that,” Houle added.
He is well aware that the Thunderbirds are trying to disturb goaltender Cayden Primeau, who has been fuming since the start of the playoffs.
“You have to play hockey. You have to stay disciplined. It is certain that they will try to put traffic in front of Primeau. He plays very well and they will try to distract him.
“We have to do the same with their goalkeeper. It is important to go to the net. You don’t have to reply. You have to stay calm.”
Protect Primeau
On Sunday, the Thunderbirds tried to get inside Primeau’s head. Will Bitten made contact with him without too much restraint as Hugh McGing gave him two sticks on his mitt after the whistle.
“Cayden is amazing right now and he’s one of the reasons for our success,” Tobie Paquette-Bisson said. I am there to defend him when this type of situation arises.
“We don’t want to get too involved in their game. At 5 against 5, we really feel that we have the advantage. If they decide to go into Cayden, we will defend it, but the crowd will give us a boost too.
A loud crowd could also cause Rocket players to go over the limit.
“We are a very emotional team and like to cry. We should let the crowd do the talking. We are at home. The people here know hockey and they know how to shout at the right time.
Hofer’s return?
On a different note, Houle predicts the return of Joel Hofer in front of the Thunderbirds cage for Game 3.
“I expect him to be the starter,” he said. If it’s him, it changes something in our approach. He plays very well with the puck.
“He can take the opposing team on the wrong foot during substitutions or during power play. With him, we have to be smarter in our puck placements. You have to keep her as far away from him as possible.”
