The Belleville Senators flipped the script on the Cleveland Monsters (Columbus Blue Jackets) on Saturday night, rebounding from a 6-2 Friday night loss, with a 7-1 win on Teddy Bear Toss and First Responders Appreciation Night.
Alex Formenton and Max Veronneau each had a pair of goals for the Senators, while Drake Batherson, Josh Norris and Rudolfs Balcers added singles, and Marcus Hogberg made 29 saves on 30 shots against in his return to the net, after a short NHL stint in Ottawa.
After the lacklustre performance on Friday, Belleville came out strong Saturday night and it took less than 30 second for the teddy bears to fly.
Alex Formenton drove the net and finished off a play from Michael Carcone, beating Matiss Kivlenieks for his 10th goal of the season.
Formenton told Quinte News post game that he was excited to be the one to get the big Teddy Bear Toss goal and to spark the bounce back performance.
Head Coach Troy Mann noted that it was extremely important to get that goal as early as they did.
A young Belleville Minor Bulls player helps pick up teddy bears at CAA Arena, during the Belleville Senators 2019 Teddy Bear Toss game. Toys that were thrown on the ice were donated to the Kinsmen Club of Trenton’s Holiday Toy Drive. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
Cleveland would even the score at 7:26 on a two-on-one goal by Markus Hannikainen, with Kevin Stenlund and Nathan Gerbe earning assists.
But Belleville edged back in front before the end of the frame, when Filip Chlapik spun over the blue line at full speed and lofted a pass over a diving Monsters defender, to Veronneau, who knocked it out of mid-air and past Kivlenieks, to make it 2-1.
The Senators took over in the second period, scoring three times in the frame.
They made it 3-1 early in the period, when Batherson forced a turnover at the Cleveland blue line and beat Kivlieneks five-hole, while looking off Balcers on the odd-man rush.
Formenton scored his second of the game and increased the B-Sens lead to three on a penalty shot at 8:23, as he came in slowly on Kivlenieks, got him to bite on a forehand fake and roofed a backhand into the top mesh.
Then at 16:49 Norris banged in a rebound to make it 5-1, with Rudolfs Balcers and Batherson earning assists.
The Balcers helper ties the team record point streak at 10 games, which Batherson currently holds.
Belleville tacked on another pair late in the game when Veronneau got his second by crashing the net and Balcers made it 7-1 when he finished a passing play from Christian Jaros and Josh Norris.
Belleville Senators forward Josh Norris skates around the net, during a game against the Cleveland Monsters at CAA Arena, on December 7, 2019. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
Mann says he was pleased with how his team bounced back, after what he called their worst game of the season, on Friday.
He also gave credit to Hogberg for making a handful of crucial saves in the win, but added that his team’s speed was crucial as well and will continue to be a key to their success through the rest of the season.
The Senators are off until Friday when they welcome the Rockford IceHogs (Chicago Blackhawks) to CAA Arena, before visiting the Toronto Marlies next Saturday.
Both games can be heard on 800 AM CJBQ for Eastern Overhead Doors and Deerhaven Farm and Garden at 6:50 p.m. on Friday and 3:50 p.m. on Saturday.
You can read the box score from Saturday night by clicking here and see highlights from the game below.
