The Belleville Senators beat the Cleveland Monsters for the first time in franchise history thanks to a 35 save performance from Filip Gustavsson on Wednesday night.
Joseph LaBate, Filip Chlapik and Logan Brown all scored in the 3-2 victory that saw Belleville get outshot 37-12.
Belleville went 14:30 of the first period without a shot, while Gustavsson saw nine in the frame, as he made his fifth straight appearance in the Senators’ goal.
Neither team was able to score in the first and each killed off at least a pair of power plays.
Belleville Senators goaltender Filip Gustavsson makes a save during a win against the Cleveland Monsters, on January 9, 2019. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
The B-Sens had three shots within the first 3:00 of the second and at 7:13 the fourth line came through with the opening goal.
LaBate parked himself in front of the net and Julius Bergman blasted a slap shot from the point, which deflected off the big forward and past Jean-Francois Berube.
But Cleveland would equalize about 4:00 later after Bergman blocked a shot and it turned into a goalmouth scramble, with Nate Gerbe knocking the puck into a mostly open net.
Belleville got back in front before the end of the period when Jack Rodewald sent a rink-wide pass across to Chlapik, who worked a give-and-go with Brown and the Czech Republic native buried a shot from the far circle, for his third point in as many games.
The Monsters got even again 1:50 into the third after the B-Sens couldn’t clear the puck and Sonny Milano beat Gustavsson with a wrist shot.
Brown would get the eventual game-winner midway through the frame, wrapping around the Cleveland net and putting a back hand past Berube.
Belleville would have to survive a 1:30 barrage with the Cleveland net empty, but hung on for the win.
The Belleville Senators celebrate a goal during their win over the Cleveland Monsters, at CAA Arena, on January 9, 2019. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
Gustavsson says getting a lot of early shots helped him settle in and blocked shots by his teammates in front of him made big difference as well.
B-Sens Head Coach Troy Mann told media post game it was another example of “quality versus quantity” for his club,.
Mann noted that he’d like to see his team improve on its two-on-one chances, since they had a handful on Wednesday night and couldn’t capitalize on them.
He also admitted that the power play, which hasn’t scored in more than 20 trips out and the face off percentage both need work.
Belleville now heads out on a five game road trip, starting with a double-header in Grand Rapids (Detroit Red Wings) this weekend, followed by stops in Laval (Montreal Canadiens), Syracuse (Tampa Bay Lightning) and Utica (Vancouver Canucks).
All of those games can be heard on 800 AM CJBQ, for Eastern Overhead Doors and Deerhaven Farm and Garden.
You can click here to read the box score from Wednesday night and see highlights from the game below.
