The Laval Rocket collected 11,885 stuffed animals during its traditional Teddy Bear Toss Game held on Saturday, November 22, at Place Bell.

It was a goal by defenseman David Reinbacher that set off the avalanche of teddy bears onto the ice surface.

The Rocket players then kept the festive spirit alive with a decisive 7–2 victory over the Belleville Senators.

Defenseman Adam Engström stood out with one goal and four assists for five points, tying a franchise record. This performance also earned the Swedish player AHL Player of the Week honors, as well as a call-up to the Montreal Canadiens.

Along with Engström, Sean Farrell (2-1-3), Owen Beck (0-3-3), David Reinbacher (2-0-2), Laurent Dauphin (0-2-2), and Filip Mesar (1-1-2) all recorded at least two points in the game.

The win was credited to goaltender Jacob Fowler, who made 14 saves on 16 shots.

Teddy Bear Distribution

Remember that all stuffed animals collected during the event will be donated to 31 organizations across the Greater Montréal region.

The stuffed animal drive was conducted in partnership with the Laval Police Service, which will also oversee the distribution. An activity will also be organized with Laval Rocket players during a visit scheduled for December 18 at Cité-de-la-Santé Hospital.

Here is the full list of organizations supported for the 2025 edition of the Teddy Bear Toss Game:

• Au Jardin de la Famille de Fabreville

• Bureau d’aide et d’assistance familiale de la Place Saint-Martin

• Carrefour d’intercultures de Laval

• Centre communautaire Petit-Trésor

• Centre communautaire Val-Martin

• Club optimiste Le Plateau

• CPE Clair-Joie

• Saint-Norbert Elementary School

• Villemaire Elementary School

• Entraide Pont-Viau et Laval-des-Rapides

• Fondation du Centre jeunesse de Laval

• Cité-de-la-Santé Hospital

• La Maison des jeunes de l’Est

• La Parentèle de Laval

• Loisirs Bon-Pasteur Laval-des-Rapides

• Maison 100 limites

• Maison de la famille de Laval-Ouest

• Maison de quartier de Fabreville

• Maison des familles de Saint-Vincent-de-Paul

• Maison L’Esther

• OMH Habitations Val-Martin

• OMH Place Saint-Martin

• Perspective Famille

• Laval Fire Department

• Programme Défi

• Relais communautaire de Laval

• Canadian Pacific Kansas City Police Service

• Société Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Ouest

• Montreal Police Service

• Sainte-Justine Hospital

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The Montreal Canadiens have reached an agreement with goaltender Jacob Fowler on a three-year entry-level contract that will begin in the 2025–2026 season.

The American netminder has also signed a contract to join the Laval Rocket for the remainder of the 2024–2025 season.

Fowler is seen as the organization’s goaltender of the future. This year, he posted an impressive record of 25-7-2, a goals-against average of 1.63, and a .940 save percentage with Boston College in the NCAA.

He was previously selected by the Canadiens in the third round of the 2023 NHL Draft.

The 6’2”, 214-pound goalie also represented the United States at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he helped the team win gold as the backup goaltender.

A Dominant Trio

Fowler joins the current Laval Rocket goaltending tandem of Cayden Primeau and Connor Hughes. Both goalies have delivered strong performances this season.

Since returning to Laval, Primeau has put up a stellar 19-2-1 record with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage. Hughes, for his part, has a 15-11-2 record, a 2.51 GAA, and a .906 save percentage.

Head coach Pascal Vincent will now face some key decisions in managing this trio as the Rocket eye a deep playoff run.

Laval currently sits atop the American Hockey League standings with a 44-17-4 record and 92 points. Seven games remain in the regular season.

It’s also worth noting that goaltender Jakub Dobeš could be reassigned to the Rocket if the Montreal Canadiens are eliminated early. Dobeš started the season in Laval before earning the backup role in Montreal.

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Despite losing all their exhibition matches and two out of their initial three season games, the team’s lack of bonding time may have contributed to the rough start. However, what followed was exceptional and resembled something out of a dream.

Their first triumph came in December 2022 when they became the Monteuil Tournament Champions. This win was a turning point for the team, and it gave them the confidence they needed to push forward. But it was the LHLL League Winners title in March 2023 that truly showcased the strength of the team’s bond. They finished first out of 21 teams, a remarkable achievement that was made possible because of the trust and support they had for one another.

In April 2023, the Laval Senators became the Laval Regional Champions, earning their place in the prestigious Chevrolet Cup. This tournament brought together the best teams from across the province, and the Senators made it to the quarter-finals, a testament to their skill and hard work.

The playoffs were the ultimate test of the Senators’ ability to work as a team, and they rose to the occasion. They beat out the top teams to win yet another championship, and it was a moment of pure joy and emotion for both the players and parents.

The bond that the players and parents formed on and off the ice was truly special. Parents were seen crying after the last match, a testament to the emotional connection that had been formed. The leadership of Head Coach Steve Santos and his staff was pivotal in unifying the team and establishing a culture of trust, respect, and encouragement.

The 2022-2023 M11 AA Laval Senators will be remembered not only for their remarkable victories but also for the bond they formed with one another. It was a season that showcased the power of teamwork, and the incredible impact it can have to triumph.

Players:

2 HUNEAULT, XAVIER
3 RENAUD, ZACK
4 QUESNEL, NICOLAS
6 ALMEIDA, DANTE
8 MARTINEZ, DANTE
9 CRISTOFARO, NOAH
10 SANTOS, NICHOLAS
11 ST-YVES, HUGO
12 MONDOUX, TAM-HUY NGUYEN
13 PANAGOPOULOS, NICHOLAS
14 DUCHESNE, ALEXANDRE
15 DE BEAUMONT, JUSTIN
16 BOUTIN, ZACK
19 VIEIRA, LEANDRO
22 DI CIOCCO, ADRIANO
31 TAN, DOMINIC
33 MOREAU, BASTIEN

Coaching Staff :

SANTOS, STEVE
CRISTOFARO, DAVID
TAN, EDWARD
BOUTIN, DAVID
QUESNEL, HUGUES
HUNEAULT, David

L’article Laval Senators M11 AA Team : A Dream Season est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

It was the first time that event took place in Laval.

Three matches per day were scheduled between the teams of Stephen F. Austin, Quinnipiac, Montana State, UNCG, MTSU, and Hofstra.

“We know Montreal and Laval are basketball fans,” said Emilio Zaga Mendez, brand manager at Evenko. “We hope it becomes a recurring event every year.”

MTSU Stands Out

All six teams played three matches during the weekend.

MTSU was the only perfect team, winning its three matches. It first defeated Hofstra by a score of 64-54, then registered a convincing 75-63 victory over Stephen F. Austin the next day. The team concluded its weekend by winning a close 72-71 battle against Montana State.

Quinnipac and Hofstra finished the weekend with two wins and one loss. Hofstra also signed a 72-70 win in the game between the two teams, despite a late comeback from Quinnipac. It was also the last game of the event.

The other three universities competing, UNCG (1-2), Stephen F. Austin (1-2) and Montana State (0-3), all when back home with negative records.

Those were sanctioned games by the NCAA. They will thus influence the qualification of each of those teams for the post-season tournament.

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Most of the medalists were participants of the 55^e Finale des Jeux du Québec – Laval 2022 (Quebec Games). That evening also made it possible to recognize the dedication of all organizers of the event.

“They’ve worked for more than three years to brilliantly welcome sports delegations from all regions of the province, and promote our municipality,” said member of the executive committee and responsible for leisure and sports files at the City of Laval, Nicholas Borne, by press release.

Members of the board of directors and organizing committee of the provincial competition received a personalized gift during this evening.

For their part, the young athletes of the 22 sports disciplines of the Quebec Games were honoured. Nine gold medals (international level) were awarded, followed by 15 silver (national level) and 82 bronze (provincial level).

Pierre-Marchand Prize

The Pierre-Marchand prize was awarded to triathlete Émile Pichette.

Pichette tried triathlon for the first time in 2021 to keep in shape for the alpine ski season, despite the pandemic. During that first summer, he participated in two triathlons, without obtaining performances comparable to those he reached on the ski slopes.

“He remained motivated, and his perseverance finally allowed him to qualify for the Quebec Games in 2022, after having reached the standards of the three triathlon disciplines,” specified the City. “His evolution continued during those Games, when he obtained a better result than what he had achieved in the Laval triathlon.”

Pichette also participated in four competitions during the summer, finishing with a second place in his last triathlon, in Valleyfield.

Alexandre-Despatie Scholarship

The Alexandre-Despatie scholarship, aimed at rewarding a high-level athlete, whose commitment and performance are directly linked to the City of Laval’s Physical Activity Policy, was awarded to boxer Marie-Bathoul Al- Ahmadieh.

In addition to being a provincial champion, the Laval resident was selected to represent the national junior boxing team on several occasions.

In recent months, she has won a gold medal with Team Canada at the Brandenburg Box Cup, in Germany, in addition to being named Boxer of the Tournament.

Winner of the silver medal at the Golden Girl Boxing Championship, in Sweden, she also repeated the feat at the Bornemissza Memorial Tournament, presented in Hungary.

Still on the rise, Al-Ahmadieh currently ranks first in the Canadian rankings, in the Women Jr, 57 kg category. (N.P.)

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Clavel also expressed herself on social networks.

“I am sick,” Clavel wrote on Facebook. “I have a 40-degree fever since yesterday afternoon. I’m lucky to have a promoter who cares about my health. Unlike basketball, I can’t bench if I’m not feeling good. Boxing is dangerous.”

For his part, Michel maintained that Clavel’s affected by influenza, via his Twitter account.

“Following the recommendation of Doctor Francis Fontaine concerning the state of health of Clavel, we’re forced to postpone the unification fight,” the tweet says.

The promoter added that more details about the event would be released today.

Tomorrow’s bout was set to oppose her against Nery Plata in a WBC and WBA title unification fight. Five other fights were scheduled for the event.

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Clavel holds the WBC belt and will try to add the WBA title, against Jessica Nery Plata, as she’ll be the main fight of the event.

The Quebec boxer is really excited for her fight. She said the week before the fight is usually her favourite part of the training camp.

“I’m feeling great,” Clavel said. “Right now, the hard work, and hard part of the training camp is done. Now, it’s just [some weight] to lose, the press conference, the public training, and finishing some little details. I feel ready.”

Clavel has already fought in front of big crowds, but will live the experience of being the main fight of the night, at home, for the first time.

“I feel proud about it,” the WBC champion said. “To see your face on posters, and know people will pay and come to see your fight, I’m proud of it. I’ve worked so hard for it all my life. Of course I’m a little bit nervous also.”

Clavel said that her preparation for the fight is a little bit different, since she’ll be fighting late in the evening. She needs to adapt her sleeping routine, and get used to be active later than usual during her days.

“For example, I trained around 8 p.m. yesterday, just to get used to be active around that time,” Clavel explained. “My training was finished at 9 p.m., which is probably the time of my fight in a couple of days.”

L’article Kim Clavel on Upcoming Unification Match est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

The event will bring together six American college teams, facing face off in a nine-game series from Nov. 25–27.

Three matches per day are scheduled between the teams of Stephen F. Austin, Quinnipiac, Montana State, UNCG, MTSU, and Hofstra.

“We invited all the NCAA teams for the event, and those are the ones that answered the call,” explained Emilio Zaga Mendez, brand manager at Evenko. “They’re sanctioned games, so they’ll directly influence the qualification of those teams for the post-season tournament.”

Indeed, it’s not only about preparatory games, like the one disputed between Duke and McGill University in this same building in 2018. The teams will thus have their best lineup on the field.

Laval’s Pick

Zaga Mendez believes Place Bell was the ideal location for the event due to the availability of the place, and the pool of basketball fans.

“We know Montreal and Laval are basketball fans,” he said. “Every year, the [Toronto] Raptors preseason games are working very well at the Bell Centre. We hope it will be a recurring event every year.”

Zaga Mendez sees the event as a “basketball clinic” for young fans of the sport, dreaming of making a career out of it.

Nancy Harold, executive director of the Association régionale de Basketball Laval, sees it the same way.

“It’s clear that it can interest our young people,” Harold assured. “What they need is to believe it’s possible. I think many parents can say basketball is a sport that can lead a young person to academic success, have discipline, team spirit and perseverance.”

Succession

Harold also believes the increase in interest in this sport could lead to the possible presence of a Laval player in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

“There’s talent here, and we believe the next Quebec NBA player is at Basketball Laval,” she said. “It’s such a rewarding sport for our young people, and it’s unfortunate that it’s not highlighted. We need more high-level basketball in Quebec.”

In total, the Association régionale de Basketball Laval plans to have around 50 young athletes from its program on site to attend the event.

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L’article NCAA Basketball Stops at Place Bell est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

The Laval native is concluding is first full season on the ATP Tour with the best ranking of his career so far (204th), and some impressive matches to build on for 2023.

Galarneau made a statement in August, when he played his first main draw of the National Bank Open,  in Montreal, on Central Court.

The professional athlete retains a lot of positive from this season, having played the final of the Winnipeg National Bank Challenger as well. However, he said his match against Grigor Dimitrov, in Montreal, was extra special.

Playing the Davis Cup is unique. Unlike regular ATP Tour tournaments, players represent their country, and face other flags in a competition that sees one country raise the cup at the end. High-ranked players like Félix Auger-Aliassime and Denis Shapovalov are therefore playing with Galarneau, in the same team.

That makes it ever more special, since Auger-Aliassime and Galarneau are long-time friends. Laval’s prodigy said it’s great to be able to share some time on the court with his friend, since normally, during the season, it’s more about texting and calling each other.

L’article Alexis Galarneau Comments on Davis Cup and First ATP Tour Season est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

Arrived from France to study at the University of Montreal, the current head coach of the FC Laval had joined the team of that same university. He also played in senior AAA, which was the highest level in the province at the time.

His strong performance on the field earned him the title of Canadian University Player of the Year. Later, he joined the Trois-Rivières Attak, the defunct Montreal Impact (CF Montreal) academy club, with which he was crowned Canadian Soccer League champion in the role of captain.

He then retired to start his career on the sidelines, becoming assistant coach with the University of Montreal Carabins.

Local Development

Shortly after his start in coaching, Coulibaly was approached by Marinos Papageorgopoulos, current manager of the CF Montreal Academy, who managed the former club of Chomedey. This was part of the merger leading FC Laval’s creation.

“He brought me to work with the 2002–03 group,” Coulibaly explained.”I had the chance to work as I wanted, and to have complete trust in what I was doing. We took our time.”

He admits the results weren’t always there at first.

“Results weren’t fantastic, but the youngsters have to learn how to lose games,” he said. “It’s necessary, and it pays off when you’re taking the time, and let young athletes develop.”

That age group’s also an integral part of the title won this summer by the FC Laval, in the men’s section of the Première ligue de soccer du Québec.

“They’re young people with whom I have had the chance to work since they were 11 or 12 years old,

“These are young people with whom I have had the chance to work since they were 11 or 12 years old,” Coulibaly said. “If we’re looking at the reserve team, they’re second in their league. They’re young athletes who are extremely solid mentally, and it turned out as we hoped.”

Collaboration

In addition to working with the younger players, Coulibaly continued to coach with the Carabins for a few seasons, winning two university championships.

It allowed him to rub shoulders with certain players, such as Wandrille Lefebvre, who is part of the champion edition of the FC Laval.

He is now 100 per cent focused on the performance of Laval’s team, while continuing his work with the Carabins. He believes the success of his project is linked to his collaboration with the players.

“I know I wasn’t always easy to manage as a player, because I had in mind what I wanted to do,” he admitted, laughing. “Today, it reflects on my way of coaching. The players want to be in charge of the project in the same way as the coaches. That’s the vision that I try to put in place by including everyone in the process.”

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L’article Boubacar Coulibaly: The Man Behind FC Laval’s Success est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.