game day Share this Game Day Build-Up: Springfield visits CAA Arena for Holiday Celebration Game presented by McDowell’s Independent Grocer December 21, 2024 Belleville Senators Game Day Build-Up Dec.21/24 vs Springfield Thunderbirds (NHL Affiliate: St. Louis Blues) The Set Up: The Holiday Season can be seen in two ways. A chance to rest and recharge for the new year ahead or a chaotic couple of weeks of shopping, travelling and celebrating. For the Belleville Senators, things have leaned more to the chaotic side, especially last night in Laval, where they fell 2-1 to the Rocket in a game that saw the two North Division rivals combine for 92 minutes in penalties, with Max Guenette notching his 100th career point. Tonight, the Senators look to end the holiday franticness and their three-game losing skid as they welcome the Springfield Thunderbirds to CAA Arena for the last game before the Holiday Break. for their only visit, on the annual Holiday Celebration Game presented by McDowell’s Independent Grocer. The T-Birds have also lost three in a row, but two of those defeats have come in extra time as they continue a five-game road trip heading into the break. Previous History: This is the season’s first meeting between the Senators and Thunderbirds and their first matchup since Belleville picked up a 3-0 home-ice shutout on April 5, 2024. The Sens split the season series with the T-Birds in 2023-24 (1-1-0-0), with the home team winning both games. Tonight’s matchup is just the 14th all-time meeting between the two clubs, with Belleville holding a lifetime record of 2-10-1-0, and a mark of 2-4-1-0 at home. The Sens have never beaten the T-Birds in Springfield. Roster Notes: There were no transactions announced by either AHL or NHL Senators overnight, with forwards Cole Reinhardt and Zack Ostapchuk, and goaltender Leevi Merilainen remaining with Ottawa. Forwards Jan Jenik and Hayden Hodgson returned to the Belleville lineup in Laval last night and added more scoring depth, physicality and energy to the group. Jamieson Rees remains the only Senator injured. Click here for a full list of up-to-date transactions. Full lineup details will be available via the B-Sens social channels (@bellevillesens) before the game. Who to Watch: First-year Senator Jan Jenik returned to the Belleville lineup in Laval last night and made an impact, after missing 16 games due to an injury in October. The 24-year-old from Czechia had a goal in his last game before the break and notched an assist, with three shots on goal yesterday. Longtime Senator Max Guenette did become the first Belleville defenceman to reach the 100 points plateau with his goal last night, hitting the mark in his 201st AHL game. For Springfield, Swedish winger Marcus Sylvegard has points in three consecutive games (one goal, three assists), including an assist in their loss at Charlotte this past Wednesday. Signed as a free agent by the St. Louis Blues in the spring, the 25-year-old is playing his first pro season in North America after racking up more than 300 games in the Swedish top league. Meanwhile, rookie Dailbor Dvorksy, who is set to represent Slovakia at the upcoming IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship in Ottawa, had a goal and three shots on Wednesday and had an eight-game point streak snapped in the game prior to that. At the Rink: Tonight is the Belleville Sens Holiday Celebration Game presented by McDowell’s Independent Grocer. Fans can celebrate the season with friends and family at CAA Arena, with holiday music, arena theming, intermission activations, and even in-seat visits from Santa himself! Some lucky fans will also take home special gifts from the big man in red. Fans can also get some last-minute holiday shopping done at the Gate 2 Merchandise Stand or at the Locker Room Store inside the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre, with the Locker Room closing for the holidays on December 23. Follow the Action: Puck drop tonight is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from CAA Arena in Belleville, ON. Broadcast coverage begins at 6:50 p.m. ET with David Foot and Tim Durkin, and can be seen on AHLTV on FloHockey, or heard free on the Belleville Sens Entertainment Network. Ticket Info: Tickets for all remaining 2024-25 Belleville Sens home games are now on sale via Ticketmaster, or by emailing tickets@bellevillesens.com. Hours for the Belleville Sens Box Office at CAA Arena are available here. Fans looking to get a head start on locking up tickets for any game on the schedule can do so now by becoming a season seat member, purchasing a flex pack membership, or by booking a group experience. More information on those ticket options, plus details on premium seating and Business Elite packages is available by visiting the Belleville Sens website or emailing tickets@bellevillesens.com. About the Belleville Senators The Belleville Senators are the American Hockey League affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Ottawa Senators and have been operating in the AHL since the 2017-18 season. The Senators play their home games out of the CAA Arena at the Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre and have graduated more than 60 players to the NHL since moving from Binghamton, New York. — Visit the Belleville Sens website: www.bellevillesens.com Engage with the Belleville Sens on Twitter: @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 Watch the Belleville Sens on AHLTV on FloHockey: www.watchtheahl.com
