Rocket edge Crunch 3-2 in return from pause caused by COVID-19 outbreak

LAVAL, Que. – The Laval Rocket returned from a COVID-19 outbreak to beat the Syracuse Crunch 3-2 in American Hockey League play on Wednesday.

Jean-Sebastian Dea put away the game winner 13:31 into the third period. Brandon Gignac and Alexandre Fortin also had goals for the Rocket (13-10-2), who were playing their first game since Dec. 17.

Maxim Cajkovic and Charles Hudon scored for the Crunch (11-11-3), with P.C. Labrie assisting on both.

Laval goalie Michael McNiven stopped 31-of-33 shots and Max Lagace had 25 saves for Syracuse.

Laval’s NHL affiliate, the Montreal Canadiens, suspended team activities for both the Habs and the Rocket on New Year’s Day due to a mass COVID-19 outbreak.

Twenty-two Canadiens players and two coaches were added to the NHL’s COVID-19 protocol, and Laval had five games postponed between Dec. 29 and Jan. 8.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 12, 2022.