The Belleville Senators left it until late but were able to pull out an overtime win against the Laval Rocket on Family Day Monday, with two late goals from Nick Paul making the difference.
The Rocket opened the scoring under 5:00 in after Alexandre Alain missed on a shot attempt and Michael Chaput followed up right behind him, beating Marcus Hogberg with a wrist shot up high.
Belleville would take its first penalty late in the first period but would also take the lead as well by scoring a pair of shorthanded goals about 30 seconds apart.
First, Jack Rodewald broke in on a one-on-two rush, beat a defender and squeezed a shot between Charlie Lindgren and the post at 19:25.
Then at 19:53, Erik Burgdoerfer jumped into the play with Chase Balisy, who fed a pass across to the Belleville captain and he tucked a backhander past Lindgren to make it 2-1.
Laval got even at 6:30 of the second with their fourth line crashing the net.
Kingston native Hayden Verbeek found a loose puck in the crowed and tapped it in for his first career AHL goal.
Belleville would pile on the pressure during a mid-period power play, but couldn’t score, which proved costly as Laval got back in front on a shorthanded marker of their own.
The Rocket continued their heavy forecheck, with Alex Belzile forcing a turnover along the boards, before firing a pass out into Chaput alone in the slot and he slapped it past Hogberg, for his second of the game to make it 3-2.
Belleville Senators forward Filip Chlapik carries the puck during a game against the Laval Rocket, at CAA Arena, on February 18, 2019. (Photo: Jason Sourse / Belleville Senators)
Belleville got into penalty trouble in the third and couldn’t get much offence going, until late in the game, with the goaltender pulled.
The B-Sens put pressure on in the Laval end and the puck came to Nick Paul, who settled it off his skate and roofed a backhand shot from the near circle, to tie the game 3-3 and force overtime.
The Rocket looked to have won the game about 3:00 into the extra frame, after Hogberg made two huge saves before Nikita Jevspalovs pounced on a loose puck and buried it.
But the referee waived off the goal calling a Laval player for goaltender interference.
Just 27 seconds later Paul got the puck in the offensive zone, protected it as he skated around a defender and fired a wrist shot past Lindgrent to win the game.
The Belleville Senators celebrate a goal during a game against the Laval Rocket, at CAA Arena, on February 18, 2019. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
Paul says the recent point streak, which has now stretched to 13 games, has made his team extremely confident while trailing late in games.
Head Coach Troy Mann called it a “gutsy effort”.
The B-Sens get Tuesday off and will be back on the ice to practice Wednesday, ahead of a travel day to Binghamton on Thursday.
Belleville will play back-to-back on Thursday against the Devils and then Friday in Rochester against the Americans, with both games on 800 AM CJBQ for Eastern Overhead Doors and Deerhaven Farm and Garden.
You can click here to read the box score from Monday afternoon and see highlights from the game below.
