Gabriel Pizza Gameday Build-Up: Senators look to ground high-flying Rocket in mid-week visit to Laval

Wednesday, January 14, 2026 @ Laval Rocket (NHL Affiliate: Montreal Canadiens)

The Set-Up:

The Belleville Senators begin a three-game week of divisional games with a visit to Laval tonight and a matchup with the North Division-leading Rocket. Belleville enters the week still sixth in the North, but only five points back of fifth-place Cleveland, with two matchups against the Monsters coming in a couple of weeks. The gap to the Rocket in first is only nine points, so a regulation victory would surely help the Senators in their push to get back into the playoff picture. While the Sens are just 3-4-3-0 over their last 10 games, including an overtime loss at home to Rochester on Sunday, the Rocket have been on an uncharacteristic stretch of their own, at an even 5-5-0-0. However, Laval has only lost four times in regulation at Place Bell this season, meaning the Senators will need to be on top form against a top team to start the week off right.

Roster Notes:

More goaltending movement for the Senators since Sunday’s loss to Rochester, with James Reimer being released from his AHL PTO and then signed to a one-year, one-way NHL contract by Ottawa. With Reimer joining the NHL Sens, Ottawa has loaned Hunter Shepard back to Belleville. In other contract news, forward Mark Duarte also upgraded his deal from a professional tryout to a one-year standard American Hockey League contract earlier in the week. As of this morning there have been no changes to Belleville’s injured list, with Garrett Pilon, Jake Chiasson, and Carter Yakemchuk still out. Full roster and lineup details will be available closer to puck drop on the Sens social channels (@BellevilleSens).

Previous History:

The Sens have already played seven times against the Rocket, with three more matchups to come, including tonight. Belleville is 2-4-1-0 against Laval this season, with both wins coming on home ice. In their two visits to Place Bell in 2025-26, the Sens are 0-1-1-0, and have been outscored 11-5. Belleville is an even 23-23-2-0 over their 48 lifetime visits to Laval, and 50-40-4-4 against the Rocket all-time, across 98 meetings. The Sens will visit laval on April 10 and 11 to finish off the season series.

Who to Watch:

Xavier Bourgault stretched his most recent point streak to fivee games with an assist in Belleville’s overtime loss to Rochester last Sunday. The former first-round draft pick to the Edmonton Oilers has three goals and three assists over that span, and has recorded points in 10 of his last 11 outings. Phil Daoust has had back-to-back one-goal, two-assist games, and Arthur Kaliyev ‘s goal and assist last weekend have helped him into the AHL lead in points (41), goals (24), power play goals (12), and shots on goal (147). Defender Lassi Thomson scored twice on Sunday as well and is tied for the AHL in goals by blueliners (9).  Forward Stephen Halliday, who recently returned from a lengthy NHL call-up, has seven points in his last five AHL games (one goal, five assists).

Laval’s Laurent Dauphin is right behind Kaliyev in the AHL points race, with 39. 28 of those points are assists, putting him second in the AHL in that category. The veteran, Dauphin, has collected 13 of those 39 points over his seven games against Belleville, scoring three times and adding 10 helpers. Jared Davidson (one goal, two assists) and Adam Engstrom (one goal, one assist) have points in back-to-back games, while

Follow the Action:

Puck drop tonight is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from Place Bell in Laval, Quebec. English Broadcast coverage tonight will be provided by TSN690 Montreal’s Sean Campbell on AHLTV on FloHockey, starting just before puck drop. Stay tuned to the club’s social media channels (@BellevillesSens) for details about coverage on the Belleville Sens Entertainment Network this evening.

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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