PREVIEW: HAMMERS BEGIN WEEKEND TEST AGAINST ROCKET
Oct 23, 2026
Looking to get back on track and build momentum on the road, the Hamilton Hammers (1-5-0-1) continue their road trip Friday night with the first of back-to-back meetings against the Laval Rocket (6-1-0-0) at Place Bell.
Hamilton will look to bounce back from Wednesday’s loss to Toronto, while Laval enters the weekend riding a strong start to the season.
Puck drop is set for shortly after 7:00 p.m. ET, with the rematch to follow Saturday afternoon. Fans can watch live AHLTV on FloHockey.
Here’s what you need to know before puck drop:
JOINING THE ATTACK
Hamilton’s blue line has started to find its scoring touch, with three different defencemen recording goals through the opening stretch of the season. Ethan Bear scored against Toronto on October 3, Brandon Scanlin found the net in the October 9 home opener, and Calle Odelius scored his first of the season in Wednesday’s matchup with the Marlies.
Bear leads all Hammers defencemen with four points (one goal, three assists) in seven games. The veteran blueliner is approaching a career milestone as well, entering Friday’s game with 198 career AHL appearances, just two shy of 200.
Odelius’ goal against Toronto was an encouraging sign, while Ryan Healey also came close to adding to Hamilton’s total with a second-period breakaway opportunity. Continued contributions from the blue line could give the Hammers another offensive dimension as they look to generate more scoring chances on the road.
FOUDY CONTINUES TO LEAD THE OFFENCE
Liam Foudy has been a consistent offensive presence for Hamilton through the opening stretch of the season, leading the Hammers with seven points (three goals, four assists) in six games. The forward has contributed in a variety of situations, including two power-play assists, and will be a key piece as Hamilton looks to generate offence against a strong Laval team.
With Mitchell Chaffee recently recalled to the New York Islanders, Foudy’s production will be especially important as the Hammers look for contributions throughout the lineup.
SPECIAL TEAMS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Hamilton will face a major test on the penalty kill against one of the AHL’s most dangerous power plays. Laval enters Friday with a league-leading 12 power-play goals on 33 opportunities, good for a 36.4 per cent success rate. The Rocket have gone 3-for-8 with the man advantage over their last two games with wins over Syracuse and Utica.
The Hammers, meanwhile, have allowed at least one power-play goal in every game this season, including two in Wednesday’s 4-1 loss to Toronto. Cleaning up their penalty kill will be a key priority against a Rocket team that has shown it can make opponents pay with the man advantage.
ROCKET ROLLING INTO THE WEEKEND
Laval enters the weekend riding a six-game winning streak after opening the season with a loss to Syracuse. The Rocket followed up a 4-0 shutout of Utica on October 17 with a 5-1 victory over Syracuse on Wednesday.
Laval’s offence has been particularly productive, scoring 30 goals through seven. Defenceman Luke Mittelstadt has been a major contributor, entering Friday with four goals and 10 assists for 14 points, while forward Laurent Dauphin had nine assists and 10 points through the Rocket’s first seven games.
ROAD TRIP WRAPS UP SATURDAY
The Hammers wrap up their road trip Saturday afternoon with their second meeting against the Laval Rocket at Place Bell. Puck drop is set for 3:00 p.m. ET, with fans able to watch the game live on AHLTV on FloHockey.
Hamilton returns home October 29 to face the Hartford Wolf Pack at TD Coliseum for its Halloween Game. Tickets are available now at HamiltonHammers.com.