The Belleville Senators scored a season high five goals and knocked off the Toronto Marlies 5-1, at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa on Saturday.
It was the B-Sens second win over their provincial rival in as many days and their first back-to-back victories of the season.
Anton Forsberg, who was sent to the AHL on a conditioning stint after being acquired by Ottawa this past week, made 31 saves and picked up the win.
It was his first game action at any level in about a year due to the pandemic.
Mark Kastelic led the way offensively for Belleville, with a goal and an assist, while Alex Formenton, Egor Sokolov, Colby Williams and Joseph LaBate also found the net.
Jeremy McKenna scored for Toronto, his second goal of the weekend and Joseph Woll took his second straight loss, stopping 21 of 26 shots.
Belleville Senators goaltender Anton Forsberg watches the play, during a game against the Toronto Marlies at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, on march 20, 2021. (Photo: Freestyle Photogrphy / Belleville Senators)
Toronto carried the play through the first period, outshooting Belleville 11-7, but didn’t find the net until 17:41, when McKenna opened the scoring.
But Belleville took control of the game starting early in the second.
Sokolov potted the fourth goal of his rookie season at just about 3:00 in, then Formenton netted his second goal of the weekend (his fifth of the season) just over 1:00 later on the power play, to put the B-Sens in front.
Williams, who was inserted into the line up in place of injured defenceman Hubert Labrie, scored his first of the season to make it 3-1 after two periods and the B-Sens would tack on two more in the third.
Kastelic tipped in a point shot from Olle Alsing at 10:26, with Alsing registering his first AHL point on the play, then LaBate counted about 30 seconds later to put the game out of reach.
Belleville Senators forward JC Beaudin skates away from a Toronto Marlies defender, during a game at the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, on March 20, 2021. (Photo: Freestyle Photography / Belleville Senators)
Following a slow start, Senators Head Coach Troy Mann says the turning point came when his team started taking better care of the puck.
He also credited the rookie line of Kastelic, Sokolov and Cole Reinhardt, for their continued strong play in the first AHL seasons.
“We just weren’t protecting pucks and consequently they got some chances and then in the second period we cleaned that up quite a bit. I thought the Sokolov, Reinhardt and Kastelic line was excellent. They got it started in that second period and I think the other lines built off of that. Anytime you can get a power play goal is also important, so I thought that was the difference in terms of us taking control of the hockey game.”
Labate, who is part of the B-Sens’ leadership group, says the win could be big momentum boost for the team moving forward.
“I think it’s huge. It’s definitely a statement weekend. The way that we started obviously wasn’t what we wanted, but I think over the past five games we’ve really stepped up, started playing the hockey that we need to and we’re starting to get the results. I think these last two games have really shown that. All four lines, all of our defence and our goalies are playing great.”
Brannstrom finished the game with two assists and says being able to come down to play in the AHL helps to build his confidence, as he tries to earn a spot in Ottawa’s NHL lineup.
“I didn’t play the last four games up there, so I think it’s good for me to come down here and play a lot. I think my confidence has been pretty good when I was up too, but there’s a lot of good players who can make plays, so I have to be better in my own end and play harder. I think my confidence is way better than last year and I’m making plays, so I just have to keep it up in my defensive zone.”
Belleville is now off until Wednesday when they play the Marlies again, this time in Toronto, before they host the Stockton Heat (Calgary Flames) for two games in Ottawa, next Friday and Saturday.
You can click here to read the box score from Saturday afternoon.
