The Belleville Senators hosted the Laval Rocket on Wednesday in the last of their three-game homestand and picked up their first win of the season by defeating the Rocket 6-2.
From the moment the puck dropped, the Senators dominated the game, with the first line especially standing out. Late in the period after the penalty, Xavier Bourgault got Belleville going on a pass from Philippe Daoust to score short-handed and make it 1-0.
Laval responded quickly on the power play early in the second period, as Laurent Dauphin finished a hard pass from Sean Farrell at the side of the net to tie the game at 1-1. Later in the period, Belleville restored their one-goal lead when Xavier Bourgault continued his strong play, scoring his second of the game with help from linemates Stephen Halliday and Arthur Kaliyev. Less than a minute later, the Senators significantly expanded their lead. Hayden Hodgson quickly buried his first of the season, assisted by Keean Washkurak and Carter Yakemchuk, to make it 3-1. The Rocket cut the Senators’ lead late in the period when Adam Engstrom’s hard shot from the point beat Leevi Merilainen to cut the score to 3-2. The period ended with another Belleville goal, restoring their two-goal cushion, as Wyatt Bongiovanni’s short side shot beat Jacob Fowler on the power play to make it 4-2.
The Senators’ momentum continued to serve them well as their captain made his mark. An unassisted breakaway attempt by Garrett Pilon extended Belleville’s lead to 5-2 early in the final period. Midway through the third, Cameron Crotty padded the Senators’ lead with a wrist shot from the point, set up by Jorian Donovan and Garrett Pilon, to make it 6-2 and secure the Senators’ first win of the year.
Belleville travels to Toronto this weekend for two games against the Marlies on Saturday and Sunday, with both games kicking off at 4 p.m.
Fast Facts:
- #4 Cameron Crotty scored his second goal of the season and second in as many games
- #13 Xavier Bourgault scored a pair of goals, including his second shorthanded marker of the season, on his 23rd birthday. He was named the game’s first star.
- #22 Garrett Pilon scored his first goal of the season
- #34 Stephen Halliday had two assists and has recorded a point in four of five games this season
- #35 Leevi Merilainen stopped 26 of the 28 shots he faced to earn his first win of the season
Highlights:
Post-game availability:
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