Senators storm back, earn point in overtime loss to Monsters

The Belleville Senators finished off their second game of a back-to-back against the Cleveland Monsters, falling 6-5 in overtime after a comeback effort.

In the back-to-back games, the Monsters were able to set the tone early. A shot from the point off the stick of Dysin Mayo was tipped in by Hunter McKown for his eighth goal of the year, making it 1-0. Cleveland added to their lead later in the period when Luca Del Bel Belluz made a slick pass from the corner boards to Mikael Pyyhtia, whose shot beat Hunter Shepard blocker side to make it 2-0.

The second frame saw the scoring continue for Cleveland. A battle down low in the Senators’ zone saw the puck pop out in front to Hudson Fasching, who buried it to make it 3-0. At the 14:40 mark, the Monsters kept up their momentum. On the power play a shot from Brendan Gaunce created a mad scramble after a massive save by Shepard, and Del Bel Belluz’s touch on th- puck was deflected into the back of the net off a defender, extending the lead to 4–0. The Senators made their mark just over a minute later. A board battle win by Olle Lycksell got the puck to Xavier Bourgault, who fed Arthur Kaliyev for a power-play tally, cutting the deficit to 4-1. Not long after, Belleville added another. A solo effort by Garrett Pilon saw him cut in and slip the puck past Zach Sawchenko, pulling the Senators within two, at 4-2. With under two minutes remaining in the middle frame, Cleveland restored their three-goal cushion. Gaunce potted his first of the night on the power play off a pass from Del Bel Belluz from just above the slot, putting the Monsters up 5-2.

The third period saw the Senators come out flying. A pass from Pilon allowed Carter Yakemchuk to walk in and pull off a slick forehand-to-backhand finish, bringing Belleville within two at 5-3. Just under a minute and a half later, the Senators struck again. Oskar Pettersson forced a turnover along the boards and fed Jamieson Rees, who put home his fifth of the season to make it 5-4. The push continued as Belleville tied the game. A keep-in by Dennis Gilbert at the blue line led to an incredible pass from Pilon through multiple defenders to the side of the net, where Jan Jenik buried it to knot the game at 5-5 and force overtime.

Just over halfway through the extra five minutes, a pass from Gaunce sent Mayo on a breakaway, scoring just his third goal of the year, ending this game for a final score of 6-5.

Belleville will meet back up with Cleveland in mid March on the 18th to wrap up this series for the year at CAA Arena for a 7:00 p.m. puck drop.