Laval Rocket faces an uphill battle to make the AHL playoffs

It’s only natural for Jean-François Houle to do plenty of scoreboard watching these days, especially on days between games, when he has time on his hands.

The head coach of the Laval Rocket knows his team’s in a tenuous position in its quest to make the AHL playoffs. The Rocket sits sixth in the North Division — the top five teams qualify — one point behind Cleveland heading into Friday night’s game at Rockford, the third of four successive on the road. The Monsters, however, hold two games in hand.

Laval has seven regular-season games left, including a potentially pivotal showdown against Cleveland at Place Bell on April 7.

“Obviously I looked last night and wasn’t too happy about it,” Houle said, referring to Cleveland’s 3-2 overtime victory against Rochester on Wednesday. “We just have to keep winning our own games and hope for the best. There’s nothing we can do. We can only worry about what we can control. Our games.”

With seven left, including four at home, Houle knows the Rocket can’t afford many losses, if any, over the next two weeks.

“Close to that,” he admitted in a phone interview from Milwaukee, where the team’s based through Saturday, when the road trip concludes with a game against the Admirals. “We’re not trying to lose any games.”

Laval’s fate might have been sealed during its recently concluded four-game homestand, which included three defeats. But the team rebounded nicely, starting its trip with consecutive victories against Manitoba, producing 10 goals in the process. If nothing else, the Rocket players are showing Houle they have not given up.

‘It showed that the guys care and are trying,” Houle said. “I think our effort was there, even at home. We’ve shown character all year. I’m proud of the players, how hard they played the two games in Winnipeg.”

The Rocket finished third in its division last season before going on an extended playoff run under Houle, defeating Syracuse and Rochester before losing a seven-game conference final to Springfield. Houle knows the importance of the playoff experience for developing players attempting to reach the NHL.

‘It’s the pride of being a hockey player,” he explained. “It’s part of our makeup as athletes. You want to go as far as you can and prove to people you belong there. I personally think it’s very, very good for development. Nobody can tell me last year our run in the playoffs wasn’t valuable to (Alex) Belzile, (Rafaël) Harvey-Pinard, (Jesse) Ylönen. It’s all valuable lessons for them to have. That’s why it’s important to make the playoffs.”

Harvey-Pinard, Belzile and Ylonen are all with the Canadiens this season and have enjoyed varying degrees of success. A rash of injuries suffered by the parent club has led to constant change for the Rocket. Forty-two players have dressed for at least one game with Laval this season, but Houle refuses to use that as an excuse.

The Rocket’s roster for this stretch run is as strong as it’s going to be. Goaltender Cayden Primeau has returned following Tuesday’s game at Philadelphia. Leading scorer Anthony Richard is back from Montreal and the Rocket has added defenceman Jayden Struble from NCAA Northeastern along with forward Emil Heineman, who spent the season in Sweden. Heineman scored two goals in Tuesday’s 6-3 win against Manitoba, giving him four goals in as many games.

“We have the players that we have here,” Houle said. “For sure it helps to have Richard here. Primeau has won quite a few games down the stretch. It helps to have all those guys together here and make a push.

“Heineman is a good player,” the coach added. “He’s big, he has speed, a good shot. We knew what we were getting because we had him at development camp. We knew he could make an impact. He’s showing he can play at this level. I really like what he brings. There’s a lot of upside to his game.”

hzurkowsky@postmedia.com

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