Sens earn third straight win, extend point streak to five games, with victory over Griffins

The Belleville Senators picked up their season-high third straight win and extended their point streak to five games, with a 5-2 win over the Grand Rapids Griffins at CAA Arena on Friday night.

The Griffins, in their first visit to Belleville since 2018, scored first. Defenceman Simon Edvinsson’s shot got through a screen and past Leevi Merilainen, under 4:00 into the game. But the Senators would counter less than a minute later, with Matthew Boucher tipping his second goal of the season by Sebastian Cossa, after a point shot from Sens Captain Dillon Heatherington. 

Belleville added two more before the end of the frame. First, a prototypical wrist shot from the left circle by Egor Sokolov, on the power play, for his third goal in as many games and sixth of the season. Then, a creative play by Roby Jarventie to bank the puck off Cossa’s back and in, from behind the net at 16:41.

Grand Rapids got one back at 3:34 of the second, through a rebound from Joel L’Esperence, then Josh Currie made it 4-2 Belleville at 16:09, tapping in a rebound that had slipped through Cossa’s legs. Max Guenette would round out the scoring with an empty netter from inside the Belleville net at 18:02 of the third.

Fast Facts:

• #9 Angus Crookshank had two assists and has points in back-to-back games
• #13 Egor Sokolov has scored a goal in three straight games and was named the game’s second star
• #19 Matthew Boucher had a goal and was named the game’s third star
• #21 Max Guenette extended his point streak to three game’s
• #22 Garrett Pilon extended his point streak to five games with an assist
• #34 Roby Jarventie extended his point streak to seven games with a goal and an assist, and was named the game’s first star
• #35 Leevi Merilainen made 24 saves on 26 shots
• The Senators were 1/3 on the power play and 6/6 on the penalty kill

Highlights:

Sound Bytes:

Belleville Sens Captain Dillon Heatherington on Friday’s win:

“The game was good. We’ve got guys coming fresh into the lineup and they did a great job. Everyone’s playing together, we’re playing as five in the defensive zone and we’re making the forecheck the identity of our team, so it’s been good.”

Belleville Sens forward Egor Sokolov on the keys to the club’s recent hot streak:

“After that losing streak, we looked at each other and realized it’s only us who can control things. Since then, we’ve been building chemistry, the room is feeling great, the coaches have done a hell of a job with the pre-scouts and we just have to execute.”

Media Availabilities: 

Next Up:

• Saturday December 9, 2023, vs Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit Red Wings) – 7:00 p.m. (Teddy Bear Toss)
• Thursday December 14, 2023 @ Cleveland Monsters (Columbus Blue Jackets) – 7:00 p.m.
• Friday December 15, 2023 @ Cleveland Monsters (Columbus Blue Jackets) – 7:00 p.m.
• Thursday December 21, 2023 vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh Penguuins) – 7:00 p.m.
• Friday December 22, 2023 vs Toronto Marlies (Toronto Maple Leafs) – 7:00 p.m. (Holiday Celebration Game)

Ticket Info:

Tickets for all Belleville Sens home games for the remainder of the 2023-24 season are now on sale online, via Ticketmaster or the Belleville Sens Ticket Hub, by visiting the Belleville Sens Box Office at the Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre, or by emailing tickets@bellevillesens.com. Box Office hours are available by clicking here.

Fans can also click the following links for more information on season seat memberships, flex packs, group experiences or Business Elite memberships, or send an email to tickets@bellevillesens.com.

The full 2023-2024 Belleville Senators regular season schedule can be found by clicking here.

—

Visit the Belleville Sens website: www.bellevillesens.com
Engage with the Belleville Sens on X: @BellevilleSens
Like the Belleville Sens on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BellevilleSens
Follow the Belleville Sens on Instagram: @BellevilleSens
Listen to the Belleville Sens on Mixlr: www.bellevillesens.mixlr.com