Owen Beck brings Memorial Cup experience to Laval Rocket playoff run
At age 21 and an AHL rookie, Owen Beck might be reluctant to frequently voice his opinion inside the Laval Rocket dressing room.
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But as the Rocket prepares for the start of its best-of-seven Eastern Conference final against the Charlotte Checkers Wednesday night at Place Bell (7 p.m., RDS2, BPM Sports 91.9), there might be no more opportune occasion for Beck to speak his mind.
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Not only did Beck win the Memorial Cup last season with Saginaw, he was named the tournament's most valuable player and scored twice in the Spirit's 4-3 championship game victory over London.
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Beck has been there and done that, and that's more than many of his Rocket teammates have experienced as they remain one of the final four AHL teams still in contention for the Calder Cup.
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'I think it's just being ready to play those big games,' Beck said on Tuesday following the Rocket's practice. 'Every game's huge at this point of the year and this point of the playoffs. There's really not a lot of room for error. I definitely think that (Memorial Cup) experience can translate, experience with long playoff runs in the past. A lot of guys will say it gets you ready and you feel more comfortable in these situations. You're just ready to go when the big games come around.
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'It comes from this team being really tight-knit,' Beck added, admitting he'll talk when required. 'Everybody has a voice here. Everybody's valued. We all lean on one another and we all come from different walks of life and different experiences within this game. Everybody's voice and experience can bring something to this group. Everybody's so good about being open and listening, whether you've been in the league for 10-plus years or whether you're a rookie.'
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Selected in the second-round (33rd overall) by the Canadiens in 2022, Beck played 12 games for Montreal this season but was held to one assist. He obviously was more productive in the AHL, scoring 15 goals and 44 points in 64 games. Through nine Rocket playoff games, he has a goal and four points but has played an effective and physical two-way game while generating 18 shots.
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Article content After finishing first overall in the AHL this season, the Laval Rocket entered the playoffs like lions. Article content Following an opening-round bye, Laval won the first two games at Cleveland before defeating the Monsters in four games. And while the Rocket required the maximum five contests, it still outlasted Rochester in the North Division final. Article content But Laval exited the post-season like lambs, swept by the vastly superior Charlotte Checkers in the Eastern Conference final. The last blow came Tuesday night, with Charlotte edging the visiting Rocket 3-2 before 7,317 spectators at Bojangles Coliseum. Article content While it was Laval's most competitive game of the series, it nonetheless found a new way to lose, squandering a 2-0 lead. Article content With the teams apparently headed to overtime for the first time in the series, Jesse Puljujarvi scored the winning goal with 2:03 remaining in regulation time. Article content THE GOAL THAT SENT US TO THE FINALS — Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) June 4, 2025 Article content There appeared to be indecision on the play between defenceman Zack Hayes and rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler, making his first start against the Checkers after Cayden Primeau was removed in the second period of each of the last two games. Article content Article content Fowler hesitated coming out of his net in an attempt to clear the puck, forcing Hayes to make an errant dive. The puck went directly onto Puljujarvi's stick. With Fowler now far removed from his crease, Puljujarvi scored easily into the empty net for his second goal of the playoffs. Article content 'It really hurts to give up that one,' Fowler told the media in Charlotte. 'The boys played so good in front of me all night. It was just one of those plays. We knew it was going to be a sloppy break like that. I have to make the read off him. When you want to get back in the series that's something I've got to be better on, learn from it and hopefully not make that mistake again. Article content 'It hurts to lose but I'm really proud to have been a small impact on this group,' added Fowler, a late-season addition from Boston College. 'Being down 3-0 on the road, it's hard. We were 2½ minutes away from maybe going to overtime or scoring late. I wish I could have given them a better last 2½ minutes.' Article content Puljujarvi, selected fourth overall by Edmonton in 2016, has 387 NHL games to his credit between the Oilers, Carolina, Pittsburgh and Florida. The Finnish winger played 31 games in the NHL this season, including 26 with the Penguins. Article content It was Charlotte's eighth consecutive playoff victory, while Laval limped to the finish line with a 2-6 record in its last eight playoff games and 6-7 overall. Article content Laval played a strong first period and had a 6-3 edge in shots through 10 minutes. The visitors nearly took the lead in the 13th minute, while short-handed. For the second consecutive game, Alex Barré-Boulet had a breakaway. And for the second consecutive game, he couldn't beat goalie Kaapo Kahkonen.
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THE GOAL THAT SENT US TO THE FINALS — Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) June 4, 2025 There appeared to be indecision on the play between defenceman Zack Hayes and rookie goaltender Jacob Fowler, making his first start against the Checkers after Cayden Primeau was removed in the second period of each of the last two games. Fowler hesitated coming out of his net in an attempt to clear the puck, forcing Hayes to make an errant dive. The puck went directly onto Puljujarvi's stick. With Fowler now far removed from his crease, Puljujarvi scored easily into the empty net for his second goal of the playoffs. 'It really hurts to give up that one,' Fowler told the media in Charlotte. 'The boys played so good in front of me all night. It was just one of those plays. We knew it was going to be a sloppy break like that. I have to make the read off him. When you want to get back in the series that's something I've got to be better on, learn from it and hopefully not make that mistake again. 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The Canadiens, in 1993, were the last Canadian team to capture the NHL title.
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