The Belleville Senators dropped their first of two meetings this weekend with the Rochester Americans (Buffalo Sabres) by a 5-2 margin on Friday night, being heavily outshot and not getting enough done on the offensive side of the ice.
Filip Chlapik had a pair of goals for the Senators in the loss, with Alex Formenton also notching a goal and Alex Dubeau making 39 saves on 43 shots.
Kevin Porter, Jacob Bryson, C.J. Smith, Andrew Oglevie and Scott Wilson all countered for Rochester and former Senator Andrew Hammond stopped 25 of 28 shots he faced.
With the win the Amerks close within eight points of the Senators for the North Division lead and hold a game at hand.
After a slow first 5:00 on both sides the Amerks began to pepper Dubeau in the Belleville net and eventually got one by him about halfway through the frame.
Dubeau made a pair of saves, but a rebound shot went wide off the end boards, catching him on the wrong side of the net and Kevin Porter tapped it in to open the scoring.
The Sens had a chance to counter about 14:00 in on a two-on-one with Jordan Szwarz, but Hammond made a nice stop on the far side of the net to keep the lead intact.
He would stop a shot from Drake Batherson in the slot moments later as well, with the Senators unable to get anything going offensively and allowing far too many chances the other way.
Belleville Senators forward Drake Batherson takes a shot during a game against the Rochester Americans, at CAA Arena, on March 6, 2020. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
It only took Belleville 33 seconds of the second period to even the game, after Jean-Sebastien Dea took an early penalty.
Josh Norris won a faceoff back to Batherson, who slid the puck down to Jordan Szwarz on the goal line and he zipped a quick feed to Formenton, who beat Hammond upstairs for his 27th goal of the season.
Belleville took the lead at 9:02 when Filip Chlapik meandered over the Rochester blue line and surprised Hammond with a wrist shot from above the circles.
It was Chlapik’s fourth goal in as many games and his ninth of the season.
But Rochester would tie the game with a shorthanded goal, on an unfortunate break, at 14:28 of the period.
Batherson tried to shoot from the far point and his stick shattered, sending the Amerks on a three-on-one rush, with Sean Malone backhanding a pass across to Bryson, who beat Dubeau high on the blocker side.
The Amerks would take the lead on another lucky bounce at the 18:00 mark as a Belleville power play expired.
The Senators had forced Hammond to make at least three great saves during the man advantage and the puck hopped over Jordan Murray’s stick, just as CJ Smith left the box and he had a clear breakaway in on Dubeau, putting it between his legs to make it 3-2.
Belleville Senators goaltender Alex Dubeau sets up to make a save, during a game against the Rochester Americans at CAA Arena, on March 6, 2020. (Photo: Jason Scourse / Belleville Senators)
Chlapik’s second of the game would come at a crucial time with just under 6:00 remaining in the third period.
He took a give-and-go pass from Joseph LaBate through the neutral zone, cut around a defender and used another quick wrister to tie the game 3-3.
But Rochester took back their lead just moments later when Oglevie skated out of a crowd in the corner and dodged Dubeau, who had sprawled out to try and poke check him, before slipping it into the empty net.
Wilson tacked on the empty netter from his own blue line with about 1:30 left to play to round out the scoring.
Senators Head Coach Troy Mann felt his team got outworked.
He did credit Dubeau for keeping his team in the game and giving them an opportunity to win.
The Senators and Amerks will go at it again on Saturday night, with a 6:50 p.m. broadcast time on 800 AM CJBQ for Eastern Overhead Doors and Deerhaven Farm and Garden.
Mann added that Joey Daccord won’t be ready to return to the net until at least next week and didn’t say whether Dubeau would get a second third straight start, or if Clint Windsor would make his AHL debut.
You can click here to see the box score from Friday night and watch highlights from the game below.
