The Belleville Senators had quick return from the holiday break, spending their third straight Boxing Day at Scotiabank Arena, taking on the division rival Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs) and winning the Boxing Day Classic for the third straight year, with a 3-2 victory.
Almost 15,000 fans took in the third annual meeting between Belleville and Toronto, at the home of the NHL Toronto Maple Leafs, where Josh Norris, Jordan Szwarz and Jack Dougherty scored for Belleville, and Adam Brooks and Kenny Agostino countered for the Marlies.
Both goaltenders were excellent as well with Joey Daccord making 28 saves and Joseph Woll stopping 24 on the other side.
The Senators struck first when Drake Batherson threw a puck on net where it got stuck at the side of the net near Woll’s foot and Norris stuffed it in just 1:17 into the game.
Batherson’s assist was his 100th career American Hockey League point, as he hits the century mark in his 88th game.
That line of Batherson, Norris and Abramov would threaten again moments later, but Woll made some great stops to keep it 1-0.
Toronto would even the score at 7:23 after Jack Dougherty turned the puck over deep in the Belleville end.
Dougherty threw the puck out in front and Jeremy Bracco charged in and knocked it off to Agostino, who tapped it into the half-empty net.
Belleville would bounce back with a handful of chances, including two power plays, but couldn’t beat Woll again before the period ended.
The Belleville Senators celebrate a goal during a game against the Toronto Marlies, at Scotiabank Arena, on December 26, 2019. (Photo: Toronto Marlies)
The Marlies went to the power play early in the second period and scored just 22 seconds into the advantage, to take a 2-1 lead.
Bracco found Brooks at the side of the net and Brooks pivoted his hips and tucked the puck past Daccord through the five hole.
Daccord would get some revenge moments later, sprawling across the crease to rob Pontus Aberg and keep the margin at one, then stopping Tyler Gaudet on a breakaway.
The B-Sens would tie the game on a power play goal of their own, on a four-on-three advantage at 15:43, courtesy of a tip-in by the captain Jordan Szwarz.
He won the draw and went straight to the Toronto net, as his teammates worked the puck around and redirected a Batherson one-timer past Woll, with Max Lajoie earning the second assist.
Szwarz would factor in on a go-ahead goal scored by the Senators about two minutes later.
He rushed up the ice with Dougherty and slipped a pass to the defender, who beat Woll with a backhand, for just his second goal of the season, making up for the costly turnover earlier in the game.
It was Belleville’s 7th shorthanded goal of the season and gave them the 3-2 lead heading to the dressing room after 40 minutes.
Daccord made another bunch of outstanding saves in the third period, including a trio on a late Toronto power play and Belleville was able to hang on for the win.
It’s the B-Sens 10th straight victory away from home.
Senators’ defenceman Jordan Murray says he’s not sure what it is about Boxing Day in Toronto, but his team seems to rise to the occasion.
Dougherty told CJBQ he doesn’t get many opportunities in front of the net, so he was happy to make his chance count.
Belleville continues a three-game-in-three night stretch with a visit to the Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres) on Friday and then a home game against the Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay Lightning) on Saturday.
800 CJBQ’s coverage of both games begins at 6:50 p.m., for Eastern Overhead Doors and Deerhaven Farm and Garden.
You can click here to see the box score from Thursday night.
