Despite a tough battle, the Laval Rocket lost 6-3 to the Utica Comets on Saturday at the Adirondack Bank Center.
Comets forward Timur Ibragimov hurt Jean-François Houle’s team, bringing the teams back to 3-3 at the end of the second period before scoring the winning goal midway through the final period.
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The Utica team then scored two more goals while Rocket goaltender Strauss Mann was subbed off in favor of a sixth attacker. The 25-year-old goaltender stopped 26 pucks on 30 shots.
However, the game started well for the Laval club. Joel Armia shook the ropes first while outnumbered. In fact, the Finn beat Isaac Poulter with a quick wrist shot in a two-on-one comedown.
Utica took the lead after that, but goals from Logan Mailloux and then Nathan Légaré – again in a four-on-five situation – allowed Laval to take the lead for the second time in the game.
Armia (one goal and one assist) and Jayden Struble (two assists) each scored two points in the loss.
Other Utica skaters threading the needle include Filip Engaras, Shane Bowers, Samuel Laberge and Santeri Hatakka.
The Rocket are now 5-9-1, making them the worst team in the North. Laval will face the Americans on Wednesday in Rochester.