Montembeault supporting Rocket in Calder Cup quest

MONTREAL -- Sam Montembeault has been following the Laval Rocket playoff run every step of the way.

From watching games on RDS to attending a North Division Finals matchup against Rochester, the 25-year-old goaltender is a proud supporter of the Canadiens' AHL affiliate in their quest for the Calder Cup.
Montembeault says his Place Bell experience on May 23 was memorable from start to finish.
It was his first time in the building as a spectator.

"I was lucky enough to have a front-row seat behind the Rocket bench. The atmosphere was so nice. It was loud the whole game. I really liked the pregame presentation with the violins and the fireworks," said Montembeault, who attended the contest with his father, Mario. "I told my dad, 'This really fires me up. As a player, I'd be so fired up to play after seeing that. This makes me want to play hockey right now.' It was amazing."
The Bécancour native has plenty of friends on the Rocket roster, too, so he's thrilled that they're enjoying postseason success.
Watching them compete in person was a treat, and he plans on returning for the Eastern Conference Finals when the series against his former club, the Springfield Thunderbirds, shifts to Laval and a sold-out barn.
Watch: Youtube Video
"That's also why I wanted to go. I know pretty much all the guys on that team. I played with a few guys this year that were called up to the Canadiens. There's also a bunch of guys I played with in Junior, like Joël Teasdale and Tobie Paquette-Bisson. I played against guys like Brandon Gignac. Even last year, I played with Peter Abbandonato," explained Montembeault. "Jean-François Houle was also my coach for one season in Junior, and I work with their goalie coach, Marco Marciano, every summer."
One of those call-ups Montembeault was referencing was fellow netminder Cayden Primeau, whose playoff numbers are simply outstanding.
He boasts a 6-1-0 record in seven games, along with a sparkling 1.93 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage.
"Cayden made some really nice saves when I was there, especially late in the second period. I'm really impressed by him, but I'm not surprised. He's a really good goalie," praised Montembeault. "He's really good technically and he moves well. I'm really happy for him. He's a good kid. He deserves it."

Montembeault believes the Rocket's achievements are a by-product of their all-in mentality.
There aren't any passengers within the group.
"I was really impressed by their commitment, especially defensively. They've got all four lines going. They really support each other. I remember on the penalty kill in the third, Gabriel Bourque threw himself in front of three pucks on the same PK. Everybody's going, everybody's pushing in the same direction," noted Montembeault. "I was really impressed by their will to win."
As for his favorite playoff moment thus far, the remarkable come-from-behind Game 5 victory over the Syracuse Crunch on May 17 tops the list.
The Rocket battled back from a 2-0 deficit to ultimately force overtime, before eventually sealing the deal.
"It just shows that even when you think they're done, they come back and find a way to win," concluded Montembeault.