Abruzzese nets two as Crunch spoil Rocket home opener with 2-0 shutout

The Laval Rocket’s first night in front of their home fans did not go according to plan. Nick Abruzzese scored both goals and the Syracuse Crunch left Place Bell with a 2-0 victory on Friday, handing new Rocket head coach Daniel Jacob a loss in his AHL debut behind the bench.

Despite a lively pre-game ceremony and an energetic introduction for the home side, Laval struggled to generate much at the other end of the ice. The Rocket had trouble creating sustained pressure and looked out of sync for long stretches, the kind of issues that often show up when a group hasn’t had much time to build chemistry.

Fowler shines in defeat as Laval offence sputters

Goaltender Jacob Fowler was the main reason the score stayed close. The Montreal Canadiens’ third-round pick turned aside 29 shots and came up big on several Grade A chances, giving his team a chance to find its footing. Early on, he denied Jakob Pelletier on a two-on-one rush and soon after had some help from his post when Brendan Furry broke in alone.

Defensive miscues in front of him proved costly. In the first period, a turnover by Alex Belzile in his own zone allowed Sam O’Reilly to jump on the loose puck and set up Abruzzese for Syracuse’s first goal of the season. That marker stood up as the winner, with Laval unable to find a response the rest of the way.

The Rocket tried to tilt the ice to start the second, buoyed by strong work on the penalty kill and a heavy hit from Braden Hache that briefly lifted the bench. Instead of building on that sequence, Laval managed only three shots in the frame and continued to give the puck away in key areas, preventing any real momentum from developing.

Sogaard records shutout as Abruzzese seals it on power play

At the other end, Mads Sogaard had a quieter opening forty minutes before facing more traffic in the third. The Crunch netminder turned aside all 30 shots he faced to post his first shutout of the 2026-27 campaign and slam the door on any late push from the Rocket.

Fowler continued to battle in the final period, but Syracuse eventually added insurance on the power play. After a scramble in front of the Laval net, the puck slid across to the right side where Abruzzese was waiting to fire home his second of the night and put the game out of reach.

Laval pressed in the closing minutes, only to be turned away by Sogaard and a tight Crunch defensive structure. The North Division rivals will not have to wait long for a rematch: they are scheduled to meet again Saturday afternoon at Place Bell, giving the Rocket a quick shot at redemption on home ice.