The win gave the Rocket a 2-1 edge in the best-of-five North Division semifinal and Laval can clinch the series with a victory in Game 4 at Place Bell Saturday at 3 p.m. If Game 5 is necessary, it will be played Tuesday night in Syracuse.
A power-play goal by veteran Cedric Paquette at 8:49 of the third period snapped a 1-1 tie and served as a measure of redemption for Paquette, who cost the Rocket a goal two minutes earlier.
Laval thought it had the go-ahead goal at 6:46 of the third period when captain Xavier Ouellet scored on a blast from the point, but Paquette made contact with goaltender Max Lagacé and the goal was waved off immediately.
Goaltender Cayden Primeau ran his playoff record to 2-0 with his second consecutive win after backing up Kevin Poulin in Game 1. Primeau wasn’t as busy as he was in Game 2 when he made 37 saves in a 3-2 win. He faced only 10 shots in the first two periods, but there was more pressure on him in the third as Syracuse pressed for the tie before Jean-Sébastien Dea and Louie Belpedio put the game out of reach with empty-net goals
