Gabriel Pizza Gameday Build-Up: Belleville battles Laval in Saturday night showdown at CAA Arena

Friday, December 5, 2025 vs Laval Rocket (NHL Affiliate: Montreal Canadiens)

The set-up:

The Belleville Senators’ difficult start to December continued last night, with another defeat on home ice at the hands of the Laval Rocket. Still, the Sens get yet another chance to improve their fate against their divisional rivals when Belleville and Laval clash again at CAA Arena this evening as the Senators try to shake a five-game losing skid, their first since the 2023-24 campaign. The Friday loss widens the gap in the North Division standings between fifth-place Belleville and first-place Laval to 10 points, with Belleville still tied with Toronto at 22 points and four points up on Cleveland in sixth. It leaves tonight’s game as another important one for Belleville, with a couple more divisional battles against Rochester and Cleveland next week.

Previous History:

Tonight’s matchup is meeting six of 10 between Belleville and Laval this season, with the Senators record now at 1-3-1-0. Lifetime, the Sens are now 49-39-4-4 against the Rocket, with a mark of 26-16-2-4 at home. The Sens and Rocket will see each other next for a New Year’s Eve matinee at CAA Arena, at 3:00 p.m., on Wednesday, December 31.

Roster Notes:

After not playing last night, forward Hayden Hodgson was recalled to Ottawa again this morning. He joins Stephen Halliday, Dennis Gilbert and Leevi Merilainen on NHL recalls, while Hunter Shepard, Matt Andonovski, and Tyler Boucher remain injured. Full roster and lineup details will be revealed closer to puck drop on the Sens social channels (@BellevilleSens).

Who to Watch:

Arthur Kaliyev’s 15th goal and 24th point last night have him two off the American Hockey League lead in both categories. Grand Rapids’ John Leonard is the leader in both with 26 points and 17 goals. Kaliyev tops the league’s shots on goal category with 83, almost 10 more than Lehigh Valley’s Alex Bump. He also leads the league with nine power play markers. Carter Yakemchuk is still among the top-scoring rookies in the league, sitting eighth with 16 points. He’s also tied for the rookie lead in assists with 13.

Laurent Dauphin got himself tied for the league lead in points last night and now has nine goals and 17 assists. He’s tied for fourth on the AHL’s assist list and has the best plus/minus in the league, at +20 through 22 games. Dauphin and defender Adam Engstrom each have nine points against Belleville over five games this season as well.

Follow the Action:

Puck drop tonight is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from CAA Arena in Belleville, Ontario. Broadcast coverage begins at 6:50 ET, with David Foot and Brock Ormond, and is available on AHLTV on FloHockey or free to listen on the Belleville Sens Entertainment Network.

Ticket Info:

Tickets for all Belleville Sens 2025-26 home games are now on sale via Ticketmaster or at the Belleville Sens Box Office located inside the Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre. Details on season seat memberships, flex packs, premium seating, the Business Edge Program, and more can be found by visiting the Belleville Sens Website. 

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