As advertised, the Laval Rocket will be a difficult playoff portal for the Toronto Marlies to break through.
It won't help that the division-leading Montreal Canadiens' farm team is starting this best-of-five American Hockey League series with two games at home.
Allowing 28 fewer goals than the Marlies in the regular season, and led by 21-game winner Kaapo Kahkonen in net, the Rocket took Wednesday's opener 3-1 before 9,402 at Place Bell. It was Laval's first playoff action as Toronto had to get past the Rochester Americans in a three-game preliminary-round series that ended Sunday.
The Marlies had a brief 5-on-3 advantage in the first period before Florian Xhekaj's unassisted goal opened the scoring. The tight affair was finally opened up in the third period. Laval's Joshua Roy scored at the 6:15 mark, followed by Toronto's only goal, scored by Cedric Pare.
Sammy Blais, who started the season in Toronto's camp, had Laval's empty-netter. Toronto made it to 21 shots late in the game, three each from Bo Groulx, Alex Nylander, Vinni Lettieri and defenceman Marshall Rifai.
Dennis Hildeby was in net for Toronto, after making his first post-season start in the Rochester series clincher, making 23 saves. Game 2 is Friday.
