PREVIEW: HAMMERS SET FOR SATURDAY REMATCH WITH ROCKET
Oct 24, 2026
After a hard-fought battle Friday night, the Hamilton Hammers (1-6-0-1) are back at Place Bell on Saturday afternoon for another meeting with the Laval Rocket (7-1-0-0).
Hamilton showed some fight in Friday’s matchup, rallying from a two-goal deficit to tie the game in the second period before Laval pulled away in the third to earn its seventh straight victory. The Hammers will look to build on that push in the rematch, with puck drop set for 3:00 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the game live on AHLTV on FloHockey.
Here’s your preview:
LOOKING FOR A COMPLETE 60 MINUTES
Hamilton showed its ability to battle back Friday, scoring twice in quick succession in the second period to erase Laval’s early lead. Matt Luff got the Hammers on the board with his first of the season before Quinn Finley followed with the equalizer, giving Hamilton a chance to carry that momentum into the third. However, the Rocket responded with a power-play goal before adding an empty-netter to secure the win.
The Hammers will look to carry their second-period push into Saturday’s rematch while finding a faster start. Hamilton has scored just four first-period goals this season, compared to 17 in the second and third periods combined.
Getting on the board early and maintaining pressure throughout all three periods will be key as the Hammers look to close out their road trip with a win.
WATCH OUT FOR FINLEY
Finley continues to make the most of his opportunity with the Hammers, scoring his first goal of the season in Friday’s matchup with Laval. After recording his first professional point with an assist in his AHL debut against Rochester on October 16, the University of Wisconsin product has continued to find his footing while skating on Hamilton’s top line.
With another chance to take on the Rocket on Saturday afternoon, he’ll look to build on that performance and keep his early-season momentum going.
SPECIAL TEAMS REMAIN A KEY FACTOR
Laval entered the weekend with one of the league’s most dangerous power plays, converting at a 36.4 per cent rate with 12 goals on 33 opportunities. Hamilton did a solid job limiting the Rocket to 1-for-6 with the man advantage Friday and will look to build on that effort in Saturday’s rematch.
Staying disciplined, limiting penalties and continuing to pressure Laval’s power-play unit will be key as the Hammers look to close out the weekend with a win.
BEAR EYES 200TH AHL GAME
Ethan Bear is approaching two notable milestones as Hamilton wraps up its road trip Saturday in Laval. Bear is set to make his 200th career AHL appearance and enters the contest one assist shy of 100 career AHL assists. He leads Hamilton defencemen with four points this season, recording one goal and three assists.
NEXT STOP: TD COLISEUM
Hamilton returns to TD Coliseum on Thursday to welcome the Hartford Wolf Pack for the team’s Halloween Game. The matchup marks Hartford’s only visit to Hamilton this season. Catch the action live on CABLE14 and AHLTV on FloHockey. Tickets are available at HamiltonHammers.com.