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Last night, the Rocket and the Marlies got into a serious tussle. Michael Pezzetta gave Marc Del Gaizo a hard check, and Florian Xhekaj fought to defend him.
But it also set off a firestorm elsewhere on the ice. And it caused some of the Rocket guys on the bench to join the party.
Check out the full sequence: it's quite something.
#Rocket Florian Xhekaj drops the gloves against #Marlies Michael Pezzetta, after the former Hab lays a very questionable hit on Marc Del Gaizo.
A scrum involving multiple players began at the conclusion of the fight. #GoRocket #AHL #Hockey #GoHabsGo @RocketSports pic.twitter.com/vzoHoG53mK
– Chris G (@ChrisHabs360) December 13, 2025
The AHL has decided to crack down on such behavior… and the Rocket is going through the wringer: in total, four of the club's forwards will share 10-game suspensions.
Alex Belzile, Laurent Dauphin, and Joshua Roy have all been suspended for three games, while Samuel Blais has been handed a one-game suspension.
Forwards Alex Belzile, Laurent Dauphin, and Joshua Roy have been suspended for three games as a result of their actions during yesterday's game (leaving the bench during an altercation). Forward Samuel Blais is also suspended for one game.
Forwards Alex…
– Laval Rocket (@RocketLaval) December 13, 2025
Without these four forwards, the club will face the Bridgeport Islanders today. These are heavy losses… but the good news is that the Lions are off today.
Three players have been recalled and will play today, while three other players already in Laval will also join the squad. This will replace the four suspended players, but also Del Gaizo (who won't play after Pezzetta's vicious hit yesterday) and Kaapo Kahkönen (who won't have to be in front of the net twice in two days).
The Rocket have recalled forwards Joe Dunlap, Riley Kidney, and Israel Mianscum from the Trois-Rivières Lions. They will all play today. Nate Clurman, Josh Jacobs, and Hunter Jones will also make their debuts.
Forwards Joe Dunlap, Riley Kidney, and Israel…
– Laval Rocket (@RocketLaval) December 13, 2025
The good news for the Rocket is that reinforcements should arrive sooner rather than later. After today's game, the club doesn't play again until next Thursday… and by then, Blais will be back.
It's also conceivable that Jared Davidson, who is on extra duty in Montreal, could be ceded to the club-school. The Habs will be at home on Thursday, so they don't really need an extra forward.
Note that the Rocket have only three games left before the Christmas break, so the three forwards who received three-game suspensions won't be back until December 27. We're talking about a good two weeks' absence.
Extension
On the Marlies' side, only one guy got a suspension for what happened yesterday: Michael Pezzetta.
The former Habs player was also suspended for three games.
Four @RocketLaval players suspended, only one from the @TorontoMarlies.
Michael Pezzetta suspended 3 games for an illegal check to the head. Marc Del Gaizo will not play today against Bridgeport.
– Vincent Demuy (@VDemuy) December 13, 2025
