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Laval Edges Past Toronto In Game One of North Division Semifinals
TL;DR
Laval Rocket defeated Toronto Marlies 3-1 in Game One of the North Division Semifinals of the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs. The game was tied until Laval capitalized on a turnover to score the first goal.
Key points
- Laval Rocket beat Toronto Marlies 3-1
- Game One of the North Division Semifinals
- Florian Xhekaj scored the first goal
- Both teams struggled on power plays
- Game took place during the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs
Laval RocketToronto MarliesCalder Cup Playoffs 2026
Laval Rocket/Montreal Canadiens forward Florian Xhekaj (63) skates during warm-up before a game against the Ottawa Senators at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC. (Source: David Kirouac-Imagn Images)
The Laval Rocket beat the Toronto Marlies 3-1 in Game One of the North Division Semifinals of the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Both teams were at a stalemate for the first two periods: Toronto went 0-for-2 in the man-advantage in the first period despite having a 5v3 advantage for about 53 seconds. Rocket's forward Florian Xhekaj was only able to score after an erroneous giveaway in the left faceoff zone by Marlies' Michael Pezzetta, setting up a point-blank shot on the Marlies' goal to which goalie Dennis Hildeby stood no chance of defending.
In the second period, Laval and Toronto exchanged nine shots each while going a combined 0-for-3 on the power play (0-for-2 for Rocket, 0-for-1 for Marlies), maintaining the stalemate.
It was in the third period where Laval took total control, shutting out Toronto in shots for the first 13:53 of the frame while putting up six of their own. The fourth one resulted in the Rocket's second goal after yet another giveaway, this time by Toronto's Easton Cowan to Laval defenceman Sean Farrell in the Marlies' zone who passed to Joshua Roy who pocketed the game-winning goal, going up 2-0.
Q&A
What was the final score of the Laval vs Toronto playoff game?
Laval Rocket won the game against Toronto Marlies with a final score of 3-1.
Who scored the first goal for Laval in the playoff game?
Florian Xhekaj scored the first goal for Laval after a turnover by Michael Pezzetta of the Marlies.
How did the power play performance affect the game outcome?
Both teams struggled on the power play, with Laval going 0-for-2 and Toronto 0-for-1, contributing to the game's tight score until Laval broke the stalemate.
