Gabriel Pizza Gameday Build-Up: Belleville Sens seek revenge as Rochester returns to CAA Arena

Friday January 16, 2026 vs Rochester Americans (NHL Affiliate: Buffalo Sabres)

The Set-Up:

The Belleville Senators appear to be gaining some steam halfway through the first month of 2026. While they may have hit a three-game speed bump as the calendar turned, the Sens have still picked up points in eight of their last 12 games. That includes a 3-2 overtime victory in Laval against the North-leading Rocket on Wednesday, and an overtime loss (after a four-goal third period to force the extra frame) at home to the Rochester Americans last weekend. The Amerks are back tonight for their last visit to the Friendly City this season, and the Sens would love nothing more than to dish out some payback in what will be their final home game at CAA Arena until February 7th. After tonight, the Belleville Sens will host Utica at Canadian Tire Centre, the home of the parent Ottawa Senators, on Sunday, then play seven critical road matchups before returning home, as they try to make up a three-point gap to the North Division’s playoff places.

Roster Notes:

The Senators have had some roster stability since James Reimer’s brief stint and the return of Hunter Shepard and Stephen Halliday from the NHL. Rookie defenceman Carter Yakemchuk has been nearing a return from injury, but didn’t play on Wednesday in Laval. Neither did forwards Jake Chiasson, and captain Garrett Pilon, who remain out hurt as well. Full roster and lineup details will be available closer to puck drop on the Sens social channels (@BellevilleSens).

Previous History:

As mentioned above, this is the last time Rochester will visit Belleville in 2025-26, for the regular season at least. The club from the southern side of Lake Ontario has had the upper hand in season series so far, but Belleville has earned points in three of their five games against the Amerks, skating to a 1-2-2 record. The Sens are 28-19-7-1 against Rochester over 55 lifetime meetings, and 11-11-5-1 over 28 all-time matchups at CAA Arena. The season set between these past Calder Cup Playoff rivals will conclude with games at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester on February 4, and April 3.

Who to Watch:

By scoring the overtime winner on Wednesday at Place Bell, Lassi Thomson became the top goal-scoring defender in the American Hockey League with his 10th tally. The 25-year-old from Tampere, Finland, has three goals and 10 shots on net in his last two games and is closing in on Egor Sokolov for second place on Belleville’s all-time games played list. Forward Arthur Kaliyev was named as Belleville’s representative for the upcoming AHL All-Star Classic in Rockford next month and has five points over his last three games (three goals, two assists), while Stephen Halliday has collected points in six consecutive matches (one goal, eight assists) in between NHL recalls.

Three Amerks are carrying point streaks into tonight’s contest, including Riley Fiddler-Schultz (four goals, two assists, over five games), Carson Meyer (one goal, four assists, over four games), and All-Star selection Zac Jones (three goals, two assists, over three games). Jones will be joined at the AHL All-Star Classic in Rockford by former first-round NHL draft picks Konsta Helenius and Isak Rosen. Helenius has six points (one goal, five assists) in five games against Belleville, but was recalled to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday. Rosen has five points (three goals, two assists) in three games against the Senators in 2025-26.

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 p.m. with David Foot and Brock Ormond and can be seen on AHLTV on FloHockey,  with a free-to-listen option available 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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