Touré scores first AHL goal as Sens slide into playoff picture with 5-3 win over Manitoba

Jamieson Rees scored the game-winner and set up rookie defenceman Djibril Touré’s first American Hockey League goal, as the Belleville Senators skated to a thrilling 5-3 home win over the visiting Manitoba Moose on Friday night at CAA Arena.

The win, coupled with a Syracuse loss to the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins tonight, allowed the Sens to leapfrog the Crunch into the fifth and final playoff spot in the AHL North division, holding a one-point lead with a game in hand as well.

Belleville held an early 6-1 shot lead, including a breakaway chance by rookie Tristan Ashbrook that was stopped point blank by Manitoba goalie Kaapo Kähkönen.

But after a late penalty by the Senators, Manitoba opened the scoring on its first power play of the game when Axel Jonsson-Fjällby rifled a shot from the left circle off the post and in past Malcolm Subban to make it 1-0 Moose at the 17:50 mark.

A key test came for the Sens just under three minutes into the second period when Touré and Jeremy Davies were called for minors at the same time, sending Belleville to a 2-man disadvantage. But Subban made two key saves, and the Sens killed off the full two minutes of 5-on-3, to a thunderous ovation from the CAA Arena faithful.

Then with 7:42 left, the Sens finally broke through. A point shot from Davies found traffic in front of the net, and in the mad scramble that ensued, Phil Daoust was able to tap the puck home to even the score at 1-1 with his fourth goal of the season.

Just over two minutes into the third, Keean Washkurak gave the Sens their first lead of the game, taking a cross-ice pass at the left circle from Max Guenette and slipping a low shot past Kähkönen to make it a 2-1 game.

But with just under seven minutes gone in the frame, Manitoba tied it back up, when a Mark Liwiski feed from behind the Sens’ net found Ryan Chyzowski in front for a quick wrist shot goal and a 2-2 game.

Then with 10:41 left, it was Touré’s time to shine, when the rookie took a pass from Jamieson Rees, sped to the right circle, and perfectly wired a shot into the back of the Manitoba net for his first goal in the AHL.

Rees then gave the Sens their biggest lead of the night with just over five minutes left, battling to the net front while being held up and drawing a penalty, but nevertheless chipping a point-blank shot home for a 4-2 lead.

It was a key goal, as moments later the Moose climbed back to within one, when Dominic Toninato one-timed in a backdoor feed. They then nearly tied it the next shift on a breakaway chance for Carson Golder, but Subban flashed the glove with a huge save to keep the Sens ahead by one.

Oskar Pettersson was then taken down while chasing the puck for an empty net goal, leading to a late penalty call against the Moose to end their hopes. It led to a scrum in front of the penalty boxes and a brief tilt in which Jan Jenik ragdolled Mason Shaw of the Moose.

Finally, Cole Reinhardt put the exclamation point on the game with an empty netter from the right half-wall at the 19:41 mark.

You can see the complete box score by clicking here.

Fast Facts:

• #4 Jeremy Davies recorded his 29th assist of the season and now sits 4th in the AHL in points by a defenceman with 37
• #19 Jamieson Rees recorded his second two-point game of the season with a goal and an assist
• #20 Phil Daoust recorded his first multi-point game of the season with a goal and an assist
• #30 Malcolm Subban stopped 17 of 20 shots to move his record to 8-5-3 on the season
• The Sens finished the season series against Manitoba with a 3-0-1-0 record
• The Sens went 1 for 6 on the Lifestyle Home Products Power Play and 3 for 4 on the ViewTech Window and Door Penalty Kill

Sound Bytes:

Djibril Touré on scoring his first AHL goal:

“I hopped off the bench and I saw Reeser take a little turn there, so I knew I had to go in and give him an option for a pass, and he made a sick sauce pass to me, so from there it was just a wide open net, I just needed to put it bunk.”

Touré on the significance of the win:

“We definitely needed this, especially to make playoffs, so we played a good game, we were physical, we stuck in there, and got the win, so that’s what matters.”

Jamieson Rees on his game-winning goal:

“I saw Philly had the puck, he didn’t really have many options, he flipped it up in the air and I couldn’t really see where it was, I was just hoping that it didn’t hit the jumbotron – thankfully it didn’t, got a good bounce, it slowed down for me, and I was able to pick it up and get in on net.”

Rees on the need for depth scoring moving forward:

“Our top guys play a lot so for us to chip in when we can is huge and it’s going to build momentum for us going forward.”

Highlights:

Media Availabilities:

Up Next:

• Saturday, March 1, 2025 – Belleville Senators @ Laval Rocket – 7:00 p.m. ET (Place Bell)
• Tuesday, March 4, 2025 – Belleville Senators @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – 7:05 p.m. ET (Mohegan Arena)
• Wednesday, March 5, 2025 – Belleville Senators @ Hershey Bears – 7:00 p.m. (Giant Center)
• Saturday, March 8, 2025 – Belleville Senators @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – 6:05 p.m. (Mohegan Arena)
• Sunday, March 9, 2025 – Belleville Senators @ Hartford Wolf Pack – 5:00 p.m. (XL Center)

Tickets for all 2024-25 Belleville Sens home games are now on sale via Ticketmaster, by emailing tickets@bellevillesens.com, or at the Belleville Sens Box Office at CAA Arena during select hours.

Fans looking for details on other ticketing options can click the following links for more on  becoming a season seat member, purchasing a flex pack membership, or putting down a deposit for a group experience. More information on those ticket options, plus details on premium seating and Business Elite packages is available by visiting the Belleville Sens website or emailing tickets@bellevillesens.com.

—

Visit the Belleville Sens website: www.bellevillesens.com
Engage with the Belleville Sens on Twitter: @BellevilleSens
Like the Belleville Sens on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BellevilleSens
Follow the Belleville Sens on Instagram: @BellevilleSens
Listen to the Belleville Sens on Mixlr: www.bellevillesens.mixlr.com