Weekly Recap: Monsters, Pens, and T-Birds provide tough tests as Sens return home

After coming off a sugar high from their visit to Hershey, the Belleville Senators were back home this week and were able to earn a point over the first three matchups on their five-game homestand at CAA Arena.

The Sens hosted the North Division rival, the Cleveland Monsters (AHL affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets), last Wednesday, before welcoming the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins) on Friday, and the Springfield Thunderbirds (AHL affiliate of the St. Louis Blues) on Saturday. Belleville battled hard in all three contests but managed to pry away only one point in a shootout loss to the Penguins, while falling in regulation to the Monsters and Thunderbirds.

Those results keep Belleville in sixth place in the AHL’s North Division with nine games to play. To qualify for the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs, they’ll have to make up four points on the Rochester Americans (AHL affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres), with the Amerks holding four games in-hand, and one head-to-head matchup looming in a couple of weeks. The latest information on the 2025-26 Calder Cup Playoff Picture can be found by visiting the American Hockey League’s daily playoff primer.

Wednesday, March 18, 2026: Belleville Senators – 2 vs Cleveland Monsters – 7

After a tight first 40 minutes, the visiting Cleveland Monsters pulled away from the Belleville Senators in the third period last Wednesday, with the Senators eventually losing 7-2. Arthur Kaliyev set a new Sens franchise record for goals in a season, counting both Belleville markers, his 32nd and 33rd, and Mads Sogaard stopped 30 of 36 shots he faced in the loss. Defender Sam Bolduc and captain Garrett Pilon each had assists for Belleville.

GAME RECAP | BOX SCORE

Friday, March 20, 2026: Belleville Senators – 1 vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins – 2 (SO)

Belleville finished its two-game season series with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins with another low-scoring, defensive battle that ended in a 2-1 shootout defeat. After an early second-period goal by the Penguins, Tyler Boucher would tie the game late in the same period with his ninth goal of the season, assisted by Jamieson Rees and newly-acquired forward Riley Kidney. After another scoreless period in the third, and four Belleville shots in overtime, all three Wilkes players would beat Leevi Merilainen in the shootout, handing the Senators the loss. Merilainen stopped 18 of 19 shots he faced in regulation and overtime.

GAME RECAP | BOX SCORE

Saturday, March 21, 2026: Belleville Senators – 3 vs Springfield Thunderbirds – 5

A pair of comeback efforts fell short on Saturday against the visiting Springfield Thunderbirds. Tyler Boucher counted his tenth goal of the season, unassisted, after the T-Birds had taken a two-goal lead in the  first period, but Springfield would stay ahead by adding another trio of markers. Samuel Bolduc’s first goal as a Senator, and Carter Yakemchuk’s 10th of the season, on the power play, weren’t enough to make up the difference. Mads Sogaard stopped eight of 13 shots before leaving the game early in the second period and Leevi Merilainen stopped all nine Springfield attempts that he faced.

GAME RECAP | BOX SCORE

Recent Transactions

• Mar.21/26: #3 Sam Sedley (D) – DELETE – Released from PTO

You can click here for a full list of Belleville Sens transactions.

Statistical Leaders 

Points: 57 (T-6th in AHL)
#43 Arthur Kaliyev (F)

Goals: 33 (1st in AHL)
#43 Arthur Kaliyev (F)

Assists: 31
#10 Phil Daoust (C)
#13 Xavier Bourgault (RW)

Power Play Goals: 15 (2nd in AHL)
#43 Arthur Kaliyev (F)

Plus/Minus: +9
#58 Samuel Bolduc (D)

Penalty Minutes: 103 (T-14th in AHL)
#42 Hayden Hodgson (RW)

Goals Against Average: 3.05
#35 Leevi Merilainen (G)

Save Percentage: .900
#35 Leevi Merilainen (G)

Wins: 7
#31 Leevi Merilainen (G)

Shutouts: 1
#31 Jackson Parsons (G)
#35 Leevi Merilainen (G)
#40 Mads Sogaard (G)

This Week:

Belleville has some time to regroup and prepare for to cap off their five-game homestand with a pair of games at home against the Manitoba Moose (AHL affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets) this coming Friday (March 27 at 7:00 p.m.) and Saturday (March 28 at 7:00 p.m.). At Friday’s game, one lucky fan will have a chance to be randomly selected to ‘Shoot to Win’ a Polaris ATV from Deerhaven Powersports, and Saturday is the annual Belleville Bulls Night. The Sens will bring back the gold Belleville Bulls uniforms for the night and raise money to support the Belleville Minor Hockey Association. Both games are critical to the Sens playoff chances, as they’ll only make up one game in hand against Rochester this week, before visiting the Amerks next Friday (April 3). All of the upcoming games  can be heard free on the Belleville Sens Entertainment Network. You can also watch along by subscribing to AHLTV on FloHockey.

Ticket Info:

Single-game tickets for all home games in the 2025-26 season 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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