The Belleville Senators made a triumphant return home from their eight game, 16 day road trip, by sweeping a home-and-home series with the division rival Utica Comets (Vancouver Canucks).
The Sens picked up a 4-2 win Saturday, after beating the Comets 5-2 in Utica on Friday night.
Drake Batherson, Morgan Klimchuk, Rudolfs Balcers and Filip Chlapik found the net for the Senators, with Joey Daccord earning the win and making some key saves while the score was still close, to keep momentum on Belleville’s side.
The Senators now have points in 12 of their last 15 games and head into the All Star Break with a four point lead atop the American Hockey League’s North Division.
Belleville got on the board midway through the first period on a two-man advantage.
With Utica’s Kole Lind already in the box for hooking, Olli Juolevi swatted a puck out of play leading to a two-man advantage and the Senators needed just nine seconds of that to score the game’s first goal.
The B-Sens won the face off and worked a quick passing play from Erik Brannstrom to Logan Brown and across to Drake Batherson, who one-timed home his 14th goal of the season.
It was 1-0 Belleville after the first.
Belleville Senators defenceman Andreas Englund goes after a puck against the boards, during a matchup with the Utica Comets at CAA Arena, on January 25, 2020. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
Belleville counted a shorthanded goal at 11:43 of the 2nd to make it 2-0, when Alex Formenton forced a turnover and floated a perfect pass to Klimchuk, who sped in and slipped the puck low past Michael DiPietro.
But Utica would get back within one with just 6.4 seconds left in the period when the AHL Player of the Week, Justin Bailey, pounced on a rebound to make it 2-1.
Belleville got its two-goal lead back at 6:05 of the third on another power play goal, after another face off win led to a scramble in the corner and the puck found its way out to Balcers who snapped home a low wrist shot.
The Sens would make it a three-goal lead at 11:57 when Filip Chlapik picked the top corner from a tough angle for his 5th of the season.
Comets’ defender Ashton Sautner would beat Daccord five-hole with a few minutes left, to make it 4-2, but the Sens’ defence did it’s job the rest of the way, to seal the win.
Belleville Senators forward Mike Carcone chases the puck, during a game against the Utica Comets, at CAA Arena, on January 25, 2020. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
Belleville Head Coach Troy Mann says he’s extremely proud of his team working its way to the top of the division at the break and the way his team performed after the long road trip.
He stressed the need for his team to refocus with the four day break ahead.
The Senators now get a few days off with the AHL All Star Classic taking place in Ontario, California, featuring a skills competition on Sunday night and the three-on-three tournament on Monday.
The all star festivities will be broadcast live on TSN and the NHL Network.
Belleville returns to the ice next weekend, back on the road, as they play two games with the Laval Rocket (Montreal Canadiens).
800 AM CJBQ will have coverage of both games for Eastern Overhead Doors and Deerhaven Farm and Garden, starting at 7:20 p.m. on Friday and 6:50 p.m. on Saturday.
You can click here to read the box score from Saturday’s win and see highlights from the game below.
