The Belleville Senators battled to a 3-1 loss against the Manitoba Moose Saturday night at home.
Following a 2-0 loss to the Utica Comets on Wednesday Belleville entered Saturday’s game looking to jump back into the win column.
The first period remained deadlocked through one power play for each team until there were three minutes remaining when Belleville’s Cole Reinhardt scored his third of the season to put the Senators up 1-0.
Matt Murray made 13 saves in the period while Belleville managed eight shots on net the other way and the lead held into the intermission.
In the second period the B-Sens fought off a Jake Lucchini cross checking penalty that was taken at the end of the first period but just a few minutes later Mantioba’s Cole Maier scored to knot the game at one.
Just past the halfway point of the period Belleville went to the power play after a Dylan Samberg interference penalty but were unable to capitalize and four minutes after that it was the Moose’s turn on the man advantage as Mark Kastelic went to the box for holding.
On the ensuing power play Manitoba scored to take the lead and it held heading into the second break.
Just 14 seconds into the third period the Moose extended the lead when Jeff Malott scored.
After killing off a Parker Kelly hooking penalty the B-Sens had two chances on the power play in the rest of the period but were unable to score on either opportunity.
Despite outshooting Manitoba 11-7 in the period Belleville was unable to solve Moose goaltender Mikhail Berdin and lost by a final score of 3-1.
The power play struggled for Belleville as they were unable to score on four opportunities on the night.
Matt Murray fended off 30 of 33 shots faced in the game while Belleville fired 28 the other way.
After the game Belleville Head Coach Troy Mann spoke about the special teams struggles.
“When you’re a team that’s offensively challenged, special teams become more of a factor on a nightly basis. I really liked our first period. We got the lead. Unfortunately they got their power play goal and our power play wasn’t able to get one. I certainly thought that third goal to start the third period was a huge game changer and unfortunately two mistakes, the ill-advised pinch and the turnover, cost us two goals and we just couldn’t find the back of the net.”
Belleville goaltender Matt Murray, recently waived by the Ottawa Senators, made his Belleville Senators debut in the game. He said that it was good to get back on the ice.
“Felt pretty good. Felt nice to get back out there. I haven’t been playing much just with COVID and the travel and all that, so it was just nice to get back out there. I felt really good for the circumstances and unfortunately it wasn’t enough to get a win, but, you know, back at it tomorrow, so hopefully we can one tomorrow.”
The B-Sens are right back at it with the Moose on Sunday at CAA Arena.
The puck drops at 3 p.m. with live coverage beginning right before game time on 800 CJBQ.
