Despite playing two solid periods the young Belleville Senators were taught a tough lesson by the veteran Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs) on Friday night at CAA Arena.
Nic Petan and Kenny Agostino each had two goals and two assists, as the Marlies dominated Belleville in the third period, en route to a 7-4 win.
Despite Belleville controlling the play for most of the first period and outshooting the Marlies 13-5, it was Toronto who got on the board first.
At 13:34 Petan worked a give and go with Agostino and finished with a difficult wrist shot, in tight over the shoulder of Marcus Hoberg.
Belleville answered back on their first power play of the night at 16:05, when Alex Formenton snapped home a wrister from the far circle, finishing off a rush from Max Veronneau and Jordan Murray, to tie the game 1-1.
Veronneau would get his second point of the game and first career AHL goal, on another power play, just over 3:00 later.
Jonathan Davdisson spun to protect the puck on the near boards and fed a pass up to Murray, who slipped a pass off to his left and Veronneau blasted the one-timer past Kaskisuo, to make it 2-1 Belleville.
Belleville Senators forward Max Veronneau scored his first career AHL goal, during a game against the Toronto Marlies at CAA Arena, on November 1, 2019. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
The teams traded power plays to start the second but neither could score.
Then, about 7:00 into the frame, Davidsson and Jordan Szwarz both pounced on turnovers, but Kaskisuo stopped them both as well.
Another turnover would eventually cost the Marlies at 10:39, when Vitaly Abramov picked up an errant Toronto pass and fed Josh Norris, who slid a low shot by Kaskisuo for his third goal of the season, extending his point streak to five games.
Toronto would get back within one at 13:30 while playing four-on-four.
Jeremy Bracco snapped a four-game pointless streak by carrying the puck up high in the zone and wiring a wrist shot past Hogberg, for his first goal of the season.
The Marlies tied the game 3-3 about 1:30 later, as Agostino finished off a neat passing play from Jesper Lindgren and Rasmus Sandin, but Belleville would edge back in front before the end of the period.
Formenton scored his second of the game, beating Kaskisuo with a long shot off the rush, that bounced under the pad of the Toronto netminder, to make it 4-3.
It was all Marlies in the third, outshooting Belleville 22-4 in the frame and outscoring them 4-0 in the period.
Pontus Aberg tapped in a cross-crease pass from the near corner to tie the game 4-4, then after Abramov took a bad tripping penalty while back checking out of the the offensive zone, Petan netted his second of the game off a faceoff win on that power play.
Agostino then tipped in his second of the night at 8:08 and Garrett Wilson beat Hogberg with a shot from the far boards at 11:53.
Belleville Senators forward Alex Formenton gets stopped by Toronto Marlies goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo, during a game at CAA Arena, on November 1, 2019. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
Belleville couldn’t push back and Head Coach Troy Mann says the game was an example for his club about how you can’t let off the pedal against an experienced team.
Man added that his team needs to figure out how to keep pucks out of their net and tighten up defensively.
The Senators are back at it on Saturday night when they welcome the Hartford Wolf Pack (New York Rangers) for Military Appreciation Night.
800 CJBQ’s coverage will begin at 6:50 p.m. for Eastern Overhead Doors and Deerhaven Farm and Garden.
You can click here to see Friday’s box score and see highlights from the game below.
