They didn’t get the win but they did get a point, which was enough to push the Belleville Senators into a tie for second place with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL’s North Division.
With all three of their goaltenders out of the lineup, the B-Sens turned to ECHL call-up Logan Flodell to make his first American Hockey League start.
Flodell stopped 36 shots and helped Belleville get to overtime where they fell 3-2 to the Eastern Conference leading Utica Comets.
Kevin Bahl netted the winner at 1:02 of the extra frame, capping Utica’s comeback from a 2-0 deficit.
Max Guenette and Logan Shaw scored for Belleville.
With goalies Filip Gustavsson in Ottawa with the NHL Senators, Kevin Mandolese injured and Mads Sogaard under the weather, Belleville called up Gabriel Mollot Hill from the University of Guelph as a backup.
Head Coach Troy Mann said “One of the most exciting things about tonight‘s game was we hadn’t played them in a number of weeks. I think the dynamics of our team and the roster to some degree and how we played is something I certainly wanted to see as we hit the middle of march, and we competed with that team very well tonight, and I thought it was a well-played hockey game.”
Flodell said, ” It’s been a quick change, obviously coming from Reading (ECHL). I’m just excited for the opportunity, I step in and am just happy to get a chance to play and prove myself, and I thought I played okay tonight. I would’ve liked to get the win or keep it in regulation, but we got the point, and that’s all that matters.”
Belleville hosts the Hershey Bears on Friday night and the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday night at the CAA Arena.
