The Belleville Senators five game winning streak came to a screeching halt on Friday night, as they fell 6-2 to the Cleveland Monsters, who in turn snapped a three game losing streak of their own.
It was the first of four meetings between the teams on the season, that saw Cleveland out shoot, out muscle and out defend their North Division rivals.
The Senators got off to a really slow start, failing to register a shot within the first 10:00 of the game, while Filip Gustavsson had to make a pair of good left pad stops on his first two shots against, but would be beat on the third.
Stefan Matteau banged in a pass from behind the goal line to open the scoring at 7:17 for his sixth of the season.
The Monsters would make it 2-0 about 3:30 later, when Kevin Stenlund fought his way to the goal and fed Nathan Gerbe, who potted his sixth of the season as well and that lead held up after 20 minutes.
Belleville would make a push back in the second period and eventually beat Veini Vehvilainen in the Cleveland net at 14:02 with a man advantage.
The Sens power play unit worked the puck around, with all five players getting a touch and finishing with a Rudolfs Balcers deflection to make it 2-1 after two periods.
The goal gives Balcers at least one point in each of his nine games played this season and puts him one game shy of the Senators team record point streak of 10 games, held by Drake Batherson.
Erik Brannstrom earned an assist on the goal in his first game for Belleville, after being sent back from the NHL by Ottawa this week.
Belleville Senators defenceman Erik Brannstrom protects the puck, during a game against the Cleveland Monsters at CAA Arena, on December 6, 2019. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
But Cleveland pulled away in the third by scoring four goals in about a six minute span.
Justin Scott made it 3-1 when he cut towards the net in the right circle and wired a wrist shot past Gustavsson for his first goal in about a month
The Monsters would get a power play goal 3:00 later, with Dillon Simpson beating a screened Gustavsson from the near circle, to make it 4-1.
They would stretch the lead to 5-1 less than 1:00 after that, when Michael Prapavessis’ low shot from the blue line eluded Gustavsson as well.
Cleveland would finish it’s scoring run about 2:30 after that, with Gustavsson screened again and Garbiel Carlsson finding a hole, for his first of the season.
Cole Cassels buried a consolation goal from a tough angle with 1:00 to play, his third of the season.
Senators Head Coach Troy Mann says it may have been his team’s worst game since October.
He adds they they’ll go over the game tape and try to make some changes in the rematch on Saturday night, when the teams meet again.
Saturday’s game is Teddy Bear Toss and First Responders Night at CAA Arena.
800 CJBQ’s coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. for Eastern Overhead Doors and Deerhaven Farm and Garden, if you’re not heading to the rink.
You can click here to see the box score from Friday night and see highlights from the game below.
